Austria is preparing its military for the inevitable blackouts Europe will have to endure. defense minister Klaudia Tanner told Die Welt in an interview.
“The question is not whether it (the blackout) will come, but when itwill come” – Tanner pointed out. She added that the risk of widespread blackouts has again increased significantly because of the war in Ukraine.
The Austrian defense minister also pointed out that “for Putin, hacking attacks on Western power supplies are a tool of hybrid warfare. We must not pretend that this is just a theory. We must be prepared for blackouts in Austria and Europe.”
Austria plans to establish self-sufficient barracks
Tanner also stresses that “one-third of citizens would not be able to supply themselves on the fourth day of a blackout at the latest.”
Therefore, the Austrian armed forces plan to establish a total of 100 self-sufficient barracks by 2025, capable of sustaining themselves for two weeks. In addition, they would act as so-called “safety islands” and would be “points of contact for civilian helpers and law enforcement forces in an emergency,” outlined Klaudia Tanner.
