In brief
About 200 volunteers joined the practical phase of the Baltic island's exercise, which local authorities say does not signal an increased immediate risk of crisis.
Sweden is holding civilian evacuation exercises on Gotland from October 5 to 8, RBC-Ukraine reported, citing Le Monde. The report described them as the region's first such drills since the 1960s.
Regional authorities, police, the armed forces and transport officials are testing coordination, decision-making and transport to safe locations. About 200 volunteers joined the practical phase on October 7, with some playing people with dementia or others needing additional support.
Participants are being moved between locations on Gotland, with no evacuation to mainland Sweden included in the exercise. Local authorities said the drills were intended to test civilian protection plans in advance and did not indicate an increased immediate risk of crisis.
Gotland lies in the central Baltic Sea, less than 350 kilometres from the coast of Russia's Kaliningrad region, according to RBC-Ukraine. The publication said Sweden had strengthened the island's defences and was rebuilding civilian wartime preparedness against the backdrop of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.