Survival drivers, stock storage exercises and mass evacuations. Europe is trying to prepare its citizens in the event of war as conflicts have almost reached its doorstep.

Its primary goal, however, is the need to change the mentality of its population in order to be ready for war. As NATO Secretary -General Mark Rutte said to security experts in Brussels in December: “It’s time to turn to a war mindset.”

Europe is preparing citizens for such a scenario as European leaders fear that Russian President Vladimir Putin, encouraged by his profits in Ukraine, could try to further press Epirus, while the long -standing and powerful European ally, about how much he would be willing to intervene in the event of an invasion of a NATO country.

However, there are questions about how effectively these European emergency plans would be and – in addition – if the civilians will receive serious guidance.

“Go indoors, close all windows and doors”

At the end of March, the European Commission presented the EU’s strategic readiness plan to prevent and tackle new emerging crises and threats, such as wars, floods or fires. He urged all citizens to store enough food and other basic supplies to maintain them for at least 72 hours in the event of a crisis. In the directive, the Commission emphasized the need for Europe to cultivate a culture of “readiness” and “resilience”.

This was because there were countries that also put their own guidance on emergencies, including conflict.

Last June, Germany informed the framework directive on general defense, giving instructions on what should be done in the event of a conflict in Europe. The document provides for the complete transformation of daily life for German citizens in the event of war.

Sweden also issued a survival guide entitled “If Crisis or War comes”. The brochure was distributed to millions of households in November, after being informed for the first time in six years due to increased levels of military threat.

For Finland – which shares the 1.340 -kilometer (830 miles) border with Russia, the largest of all NATO Member States – the defense of its sovereignty over Moscow has long been part of the country’s soul. The country has been preparing for a conflict with Russia for decades. Since the 1950s, the construction of shelters under apartment buildings and office buildings is considered mandatory.

Will the world hear?

While nations have given clear civil protection guidelines, it is doubtful whether citizens should pay the attention required.

Claudia Major, a senior vice -president of transatlantic security at the German Marshall Fund, told CNN that advice from countries should be taken seriously. Major pointed to the need to prepare not only for a direct military threat from Russia, but also for what it called a “gray zone” between war and peace – which includes lower levels of aggression and hybrid war.

However, he added: “The fine line to walk obviously is to increase the readiness without getting into alert and disasters. We want people to know, we don’t want to freak out. “

For some countries, especially those in Moscow’s influence, the threat from Russia is tangible. For others, it is harder to understand.

Major mentioned Portugal, Italy and the United Kingdom as countries where the threat from Russia is less present in national consciousness. Italy, she says, is more concerned about the threat of terrorism and volatility by fragile states near the country’s southern border. The last invasion also received by the United Kingdom from foreign force was 1066, and for many Western European countries, the last time they experienced the war was during World War II.