Especially during week 6 (next week) and week 11, military transports will travel on rural roads in the county, according to Västerbottens-Kuriren. The impetus for this development is the Nordic Response 24 exercise, which will take place in Norway and Finland from March 4 to 15, with the active participation of the Swedish armed forces.
The exercise is part of NATO's larger Steadfast Defender 2024 initiative, details of which can be found here.
Länsstyrelsen Västerbotten explains, "The purpose of the exercise is to simulate the defense of the Nordic region together with Sweden's allies and NATO member states, and to facilitate the reception of reinforcements from international contingents under the auspices of NATO".
In view of the exercise, the county is prepared to experience an increase in military transport movements on its roads, especially during the aforementioned weeks.
Länsstyrelsen highlights the possible sighting of military personnel and vehicles on roads and railways, extending into areas where their presence is not customary.
In addition, there may be a foreign military presence in northern Sweden as some of the 14 nations participating in Nordic Response 24 pass through Sweden on their way to the exercise.
Länsstyrelsen warns that these transports may disrupt the flow of traffic and result in increased noise levels more usually associated with scheduled flights.