Share of population in Sweden afraid of Russia as a superpower 2014-2023

At the end of February 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, three fourths of Swedes responded that they were afraid of Russia as a superpower. Just a month before, the number was below 60 percent. In 2019, as few as 38 percent of the respondents were afraid of Russia as a superpower, with 55 percent unafraid. Sweden is not a member of NATO, but the share of Swedes in favor of membership increased following the escalation of the situation in Ukraine. In May 2023, the share had fallen slightly as Russia did not have the military success on the battlefield that many Swedes feared immediately after the invasion.