One thing that I keep asking: why does Sweden care so much? Why are they spending so much money?
So, I think I remember that - when all of this is over and assuming Ukraine wins - there is a lot of rebuilding to be done. Are these 'donations' to the Ukrainian cause on the understanding that it will be repaid in kind?
What do the people of sweden think about all of this money going to Ukraine? Are they allies?
Is Sweden thinking that they could be next if Ukraine fails to repel the Russians? Was that why they joined NATO?
I seem to remember that Russia has historical form for attacking Russia.
There is a history of emnity between Sweden and Russia. And Ukraine was once "Swedish".
In the Putin era, Sweden has been in the cross hairs pretty much constantly, because Putin's neo-empirical plan involved controlling the Baltic... which meant invading Sweden and Finland. The first place would have been the Swedish Island of Gotland ... critical for access in and out of the Baltic.
I've had my place in Sweden for 20 years and the threat of Russian tanks rolling through was very real for the locals. In all seriousness, after speaking with another special forces friend of mine up in Arvidsjaur, I really did consider the possibility that I would have to join any resistance. (so kind of yes to points 3 and 4)
For the Swedes, better to help Ukraine fight Russia than wait for Russia to arrive. Putin several times threatened to bomb Swedish industrial bases (Saab etc).
So the Swedes were amongst the first to train Ukrainians .... this is before 2022. Tank Girl did her training in the North of Sweden (near Boden) under my mate's instruction. But it wasn't just her. It was an entire division. As you probably remember, the 21st is armed to the teeth by Sweden ...paid for by Sweden (salaries etc). Add to this the Swedish special forces advisors on the ground.
As you remember, my mate first went in on a short term mission to make the ZNPP safe.
For various reasons, he ended up staying, first on the Ukrainian payroll ... then, more recently, on the EU staff. He, like many Swedish soldiers, spent much of his life training to fight Russia one day.
There was no way he was going to turn his back and come back to working with me until the job there is done (annoyingly and expensively for me).
Your first point is also spot on. Ukraine is not only "buying" Swedish arms and tech.... they have mutaual agreements in place for the period of rebuilding that will follow the end of the war. They were also the first country to sign with Ukraine as "allies" (so yes to point 2).
As for the general populace, beating Russia by whatever means is very popular. You won't find much dissent. Russia is "The Enemy".