{"id":907,"date":"2025-03-27T13:17:53","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T14:17:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.phithuongbatphu.com\/?p=907"},"modified":"2025-04-16T01:28:29","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T01:28:29","slug":"eu-warns-millions-to-stockpile-supplies-in-case-of-war-should-the-uk-do-the-same","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.phithuongbatphu.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/27\/eu-warns-millions-to-stockpile-supplies-in-case-of-war-should-the-uk-do-the-same\/","title":{"rendered":"EU warns millions to stockpile supplies in case of war \u2013 should the UK do the same?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"Should\t<\/div>
Whether the UK should follow the EUs lead on survival kits is the next big question (Picture: metro)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The European Union<\/a> has told its almost 450million citizens to prepare for war or natural disaster by assembling ’72 hour survival kits’.<\/p>\n

But as the UK ramps up defence spending<\/a> and assembles a ‘coalition of the willing’ to protect Ukraine<\/a>, British preparedness for conflict is now under the microscope.<\/p>\n

The British government<\/a> has not yet asked Britons to compile their own war survival kits, but they have a been preparing pages of advice on what we should do if other disasters takes hold.<\/p>\n

Experts have also weighed in and told Metro<\/strong> that crisis packs could be crucial far earlier than a future military conflict might have you think.<\/p>\n

Why did the European Union choose 72 hour stockpiles?<\/h2>\n

The stockpile order is driven by cyber conflict and not by a fear of military conflict, says Professor Peter Jackson, the University of Glasgow’s Chair in Global Security.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"TOPSHOT\t<\/div>
Russia is less of a military, and more of a cyber threat to Europe (Picture: STRINGER\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is because while it might take seven years for Russia to be ready for another ground invasion of a Western country, they have the power to launch other kinds of attacks.<\/p>\n

He told Metro:<\/strong> ‘Russia is very capable and much inclined to mount very sophisticated attacks on national infrastructure.<\/p>\n

‘So much of our critical infrastructure happens online.<\/p>\n

‘If a cyber attack was able to hit at power stations, for example, and deprive citizens of access to electricity. <\/p>\n

‘Those are the kind of scenarios a 72 hour pack would be intended to combat. I do not think it is about the Russians invading.<\/p>\n

‘If traffic alarms go out, or the banking system goes down. A cyber attack could throw British and European society into quite considerable chaos.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Cyber attacks are a real danger to Britain and Brits (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

‘Starter packs make more sense in those scenarios.’<\/p>\n

One little known weak spot are the ‘vital undersea cables which converge in Irish waters’ and which Ireland is underprepared to protect.<\/p>\n

The Professor added: ‘There are lots of vulnerabilities that would be targeted long before the British public would be threatened with another land war.’<\/p>\n

Russia needs to rely on cyber conflict because a military one would be entirely different to anything going on in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

One example is Finland, a top Putin target, says Peter.<\/p>\n

The country has 180,000 ‘very well trained and highly motivated troops’, making invasion a very tough obstacle for Russia.<\/p>\n

Should the UK issue a similar stockpile warning to the European Union?<\/h2>\n

So should the UK do the same? Professor Jackson thinks Starmer should focus on other things first.<\/p>\n

‘We should be increasing the security of Britain\u2019s critical infrastructure and our ability to thwart cyber attacks,’ he added.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Emergency\t<\/div>
Emergency packs would be crucial if the electricity or banking system went down (Picture: Shutterstock \/ Skylines)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

‘I think it is already a priority for the UK government, but it will only become more acute, especially as the UK industry becomes more oriented toward defence production.’<\/p>\n

Army veteran and survival guru Leigh Price, however, believes we should all have a survival kit, even if the likelihood of an invasion ‘is small’.<\/p>\n

Leigh, who runs survival courses and sells survival equipment from the Bug Out<\/a> Shop, told Metro<\/strong>: ‘An emergency kit is still a good idea.<\/p>\n

‘We cannot totally prepare for conflict. If you had to vacate your home, you need a survival kit in your bag to grab at a moment’s notice.<\/p>\n

‘If you are at home and a missile strikes, you have got to make sure you have stuff at home to make your life comfortable.’<\/p>\n

What should we pack in a survival kit?<\/h2>\n

Veteran Leigh says there are four priorities for what we need to include in our emergency pack: food, water, shelter and medical first aid.<\/p>\n

His range of freeze-dried tinned food \u2013 his most popular item \u2013 can last until 2050. After Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, he says prices of food tins skyrocketed by 56%.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Leigh\t<\/div>
Leigh Price from The-Bug Out Shop told Metro what we should be stockpiling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The survival pro added: ‘There is only so much perishable food you can cover, so that is why you need ‘freeze-dried food. <\/p>\n

‘But you also need some way of heating it your food, so your kit needs to have a little stove.’<\/p>\n

People often pack in three-day emergency kits with bottled water, but Leigh says that does not go far enough.<\/p>\n

‘Water bottles are also only going to go so far. If you want to up your game you can get a water filter, so you can filter anything you find,’ he added.<\/p>\n

Swiss Army knives also commonly feature in survival kit guides, but there may be more important blades and basics we should prioritise.<\/p>\n

‘You do not want everyone running round with a knife like John Rambo. You might needs tins of food, you have just got to cover the basics like a tin opener.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Brits\t<\/div>
Leigh Price, who owns and runs Bug Out in Builth Wells, Powys, says his prepper store sells everything one might need in the event of a catastrophic event like armed conflict or nuclear war<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

‘You need personal documents to identify yourself. There might be an injury, what is your blood type? What allergies do you have?<\/p>\n

‘You also will need warm clothing.’What happens in the first 72 hours of a natural disaster or war?<\/p>\n

What does the government tell us to do in case of an emergency?<\/h2>\n

The EU\u2019s announcement comes just a week after France decided to issue 20-page survival manuals<\/a>. <\/p>\n

In it are 63 measures on how the French can protect themselves from armed conflict, natural disasters, industrial accidents and nuclear leaks.<\/p>\n

Keir Starmer has not done the same in the UK. <\/p>\n

In fact, Metro<\/strong> could not find a single government web page dedicated to advice to Brits in case of a military conflict hitting the UK.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Nuclear missiles could be pointed at Europe (Credits: Russian MOD \/ SWNS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are other government pages with information on more general ‘natural hazards’, infrastructure failure’ or ‘severe weather’.<\/p>\n

‘Emergencies happen every day in the UK and across the world,’ the government’s ‘Prepare’ campaign<\/a> website says.<\/p>\n

Officials advice for us to be informed about the risks in our local area, and to accordingly sign up for alerts and warnings.<\/p>\n

We should also learn basic first aid skills.<\/p>\n

There is also a downloadable and printable household emergency plan<\/a>, which includes emergency contact details and a three-step plan of action in cases disaster strikes outside your house.<\/p>\n

The government tells us to ‘go in’, ‘stay in’ and ‘tune in’.<\/p>\n

This means close all windows and doors, stay inside, and tune in to national and local news and follow official advice for what to do next.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Household\t<\/div>
The government’s household emergency plan (Picture: prepare.gov.uk)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If war does come to Europe, Professor Jackson is concerned the UK and Europe need to prepare for the U.S. to remain on the sidelines.<\/p>\n

He said: ‘The EU and UK need to invest heavily in the intelligence assets the US military enjoys. Such as imaging, geo-spacing, and very powerful listening capabilities. <\/p>\n

‘They also need a replacement for Starlink.’<\/p>\n

Starlink is the constellation of satellites owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and has been used by Ukraine to carry out military operations against Russia.<\/p>\n

Peter warned Europe and the UK they need to be ready for a world in which they cannot access Musk’s space network.<\/p>\n

‘If it gets shut down, they are in real real trouble’.<\/p>\n

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

For more stories like this, <\/strong>check our news page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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