JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russian Aggression Spurs Neighbors to Rebuild Defenses” – Wall Street Journal/ Michael M. Phillips, James Marson

“Sweden has overturned decades of its own defense and foreign policy to strengthen its military and tighten ties with the U.S.”

“Wooden targets hide among … pine trees at the Gotland island army firing range … depicting foreign invaders … faces twisted with malice. … [with] no unit insignia, no flag patches. … Swedish army recruits peppering the targets with machine-gun fire … knew exactly who the enemy was: Russia’s 76th Guards Air Assault Division. With Russia’s foreign policy growing more assertive over the past decade under … Putin, the Swedes are bulking up defenses …. Its army expects that in the opening moments of a Russian invasion, airborne soldiers from the 76th Guards, based across the Baltic …, would likely parachute onto Gotland. Both sides know that whoever controls the island controls naval traffic through the southern Baltic. …”

Click here for: “Russian Aggression Spurs Neighbors to Rebuild Defenses; Sweden has overturned decades of its own defense and foreign policy to strengthen its military and tighten ties with the U.S.” – Wall Street Journal/ Michael M. Phillips, James Marson

[featured image is file photo from another occasion, depicting 2017 joint exercises on Gotland Island involving U.S. Army and Swedish personnel]