Politics
Governments in the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and across Europe are urging their citizens to prepare for potential emergencies.
Governments in the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and across Europe are urging their citizens to prepare for potential emergencies. Several countries have advised people to stockpile essential supplies sufficient for at least 72 hours, or three days, amid growing concerns about wars and natural disasters around the world. The public preparedness campaigns are being conducted in response to concerns over the Russia-Ukraine war, cyberattacks, sabotage and natural disasters. The announcements have caused anxiety among members of the public and social media users. However, officials have clarified that these measures do not mean that a Third World War is being predicted.
On October 22, the British government relaunched its “Be Ready” campaign, urging citizens to keep essential supplies sufficient for three days (72 hours) readily available. These supplies include drinking water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, first-aid kits, cash, power banks and wind-up radios. The United Kingdom's 2025 National Security Strategy identified Russian aggression, hostile cyber activities and sabotage as major security concerns.
According to Fortune, the Pentagon in the United States is reportedly developing a plan called “FORTRESS” to enable major military bases to remain operational for at least 90 days without external assistance. Japan, which frequently experiences natural disasters such as earthquakes, is set to issue a new emergency preparedness appeal on November 2, coinciding with the establishment of its Disaster Management Agency. The campaign will encourage citizens to prepare for at least three days and, ideally, one week. The European Union's “Preparedness Union Strategy,” adopted in March 2025, recommends that citizens be capable of managing emergencies independently for at least 72 hours.
According to international media reports, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have expanded their civil defence measures since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Their efforts include renovating shelters and providing emergency preparedness training to citizens. Finland has increased its grain reserves requirement to cover nine months. Sweden has revived its comprehensive “total-defence” approach, while Poland adopted a civil defence law in 2025.
Officials have emphasised that there is no evidence that a Third World War is imminent. The 72-hour preparedness guidelines are intended to help people manage the initial stages of a crisis. The first 72 hours of any emergency are particularly important, as authorities prioritise immediate response efforts, including rescue operations and maintaining hospital services.
The campaigns urging citizens to prepare for emergencies are driven by several concerns:
Governments stress that these preparations are precautionary measures designed to strengthen public resilience and ensure that citizens can cope with emergencies during the critical initial 72 hours.
