Leader of the Danish political party Venstre, Troels Lund Poulsen, has urged Danes to be prepared for crisis situations where they may need to be self-sufficient for three days. The statement was made during the People’s Meeting on Saturday, where the chairman emphasized the importance of having basic necessities such as water, food, medicine, first aid supplies, and means to stay warm and function without power. This call to action comes in the context of the escalating conflict with Russia, although Troels Lund Poulsen pointed out that there is no direct military threat against Denmark. The risk lies more in potential hybrid attacks that could target critical infrastructure such as the power supply. Troels Lund Poulsen highlighted that while it is unlikely that the advice will be necessary in practice, it is important to be prepared in the current situation. “There is no direct military threat in Denmark, but the reality is that Denmark and our allies are threatened by hybrid warfare,” he said.
The call for Danes to prepare also stems from a desire to ease the authorities’ work in a crisis situation. “It is important that you are able to take care of yourself and your closest family so that the authorities can focus their efforts where they are most needed,” said Troels Lund Poulsen. Unlike several neighboring countries, Denmark has not had a similar preparedness campaign aimed at citizens, which according to the chairman may make it feel like Denmark is falling behind. As Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen has tried to balance communication to avoid creating unnecessary fear, but acknowledges that the security situation has worsened over the past year. Later in the day, Troels Lund Poulsen and the director of the Danish Emergency Management Agency (Beredskabsstyrelsen), Laila Reenberg, will hold a press conference to discuss recommendations for citizens regarding crisis preparedness. This will take place at the Emergency Management Agency on Bornholm at 3:30 PM.