Military on Gotland

Having to defend Gotland against a foreign invasion seemed such a far-fetched notion to Swedish decision-makers at the start of the century that they demilitarized the Baltic Sea island.

Now, the Swedish Armed Forces are back, and they are practicing with U.S. troops not just how to defend the island with a population of 58,000, but how to take it back from a foreign aggressor.

Sweden plans to station troops on the strategic Baltic island of Gotland, as Russia has increased its military activity in the region.

Permanent military presence has been absent from Gotland, which is Sweden's largest island, for a period of ten years, the Financial Times reports.