Although the idea of a conflict in Europe may seem distant, the possibility of a war extending beyond Ukraine appears to be growing within Western institutions. A sign of this comes from Germany, where the military (Bundeswehr) has drafted a thousand-page strategic document — mostly classified — titled "Operationsplan Deutschland" ("German Operations Plan"), aimed at preparing companies for potential warfare in Europe. This is reported by the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine, which explains that the document also contains a list of companies and infrastructures to protect. Even if German territory might not be directly involved in combat, it could still become a logistical hub for the movement of troops and materials.
One of the recommendations for companies is to achieve energy independence, at least for a short period, by using generators or their own wind turbines. The newspaper adds that during a training event held at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, Lieutenant Colonel Jörn Plischke advised transportation companies, or those with their own trucks, to train more drivers than they need on a daily basis — specifically, five for every one hundred.
The reason is that 70% of the trucks on German roads are driven by citizens of Eastern European countries, who could be called back in the event of a conflict. This already partially happened with Ukrainian truck drivers, some of whom volunteered or were compulsorily recruited for the conflict against Russia. However, this recommendation is not easy to follow, considering that European countries are already experiencing a severe driver shortage. For many companies, it is impossible to even find the necessary drivers, let alone train additional ones.
Germany is not just making theoretical preparations; it is moving into practice with a joint military-civilian exercise called "Red Storm Alpha," which will be followed by a second, "Red Storm Bravo." The exercise took place in the port of Hamburg from September 26 to 28, 2024, involving around a hundred soldiers simulating the protection of critical infrastructure during a hypothetical landing of allied troops and military equipment. Soldiers set up posts at the port to check vehicles and suspicious individuals. The Hamburg Port Authority (Hpa) and terminal operator Hhla also took part in this exercise. "Red Storm Bravo" is scheduled for 2025, again in Hamburg, with participation extended to other companies and institutions interested in protective measures.
Preparations for a potential conflict are also underway in Scandinavia. In Sweden, an updated version of a 2018 booklet will be distributed to five million residents, urging them to prepare for a possible war. The updated booklet has doubled in size, now containing 32 pages. The Swedish government decided to revise the publication due to the "worsening security situation" in Europe. Sweden had previously distributed similar booklets during World War II and in the 1960s, during the Cold War.
Norway is also distributing similar materials, with a 20-page booklet printed in 2.2 million copies, covering topics including digital and climate threats. Finland and Denmark, on the other hand, have focused on digital formats, allowing information to be updated more quickly. The Finnish government is emphasizing survival in cold conditions without electricity, as well as food supplies.
Denmark is combining information with concrete actions regarding its military structure. In addition to raising military spending to 2.4% of GDP, the government has introduced compulsory military service for women from 2026 and extended the duration of service from four to eleven months. The aim is to draft at least 5,000 individuals per year, to be added to the current 9,000 professional soldiers.
