Environmental Impact of Militarization in Gotland

GOTLAND, SWEDEN - AUGUST 02: The Blahall shore is seen from the shooting range area nearby the Tofta military base in Gotland Island Sweden on August 02, 2022. While the area is open to the public, it is polluted by large amounts of shrapnel, leftovers of ammunition and explosive devices as well as the wreckage of metal containers used as target during the military exercises carried out by the Swedish army. The presence of military troops in Gotland island increased in recent years in the frame of the Russian military operations against Ukraine, starting with the annexation of Crimea back in March 2014. Since then, the Swedish military is taking steps to strengthen its presence in the island with a large acceptance of the local population, yet triggering the concern of the environmental groups who observe the deployment of the army personnel and military exercises across the island as a negative impact in the life ecosystem at both: in the human and the wild spheres.