NATO calls on Western civilians to prepare for war with Russia

Sky News reported the information.

Bauer noted that although the armed forces are ready for the outbreak of war, citizens of Western countries should also be prepared for a conflict that will require significant changes in their lives.

"We have to realise it's not a given that we are in peace. And that's why we [NATO forces] are preparing for a conflict with Russia.But the discussion is much wider. It is also the industrial base and also the people that have to understand they play a role," the NATO official said.

In his opinion, Sweden did the right thing by calling on its population to prepare for war in early January.

"It starts there. The realisation that not everything is plannable and not everything is going to be hunky dory in the next 20 years," Bauer said.

• Earlier, German media reported that NATO plans to hold large-scale exercises in February based on a scenario of a Russian attack on the Alliance.