France will issue survival manuals to prepare citizens for invasion and any other "imminent threat" to the country.
A new 20-page booklet reportedly includes 63 measures to help the French in case of armed conflict, as well as natural disasters, industrial accidents or a nuclear leak.
It will contain advice on how to protect "yourself and those around you", what to do if a threat is imminent and details of how to get involved in defending your community.
This includes signing up for reserve units or firefighting groups.
The French Government has issued the guidance
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The French government denies that the three-part booklet is being produced as a result of Russia's war in Ukraine, despite President Emmanuel Macron urging France to prepare to confront the "Russian threat".
If approved by Prime Minister François Bayrou, it will be sent to households before the summer, French media reported. The manual will suggest putting together a "survival kit" consisting of at least six litres of water, a dozen tins of food, batteries and a torch.
Basic medical supplies including paracetamol, compresses and saline solution are also recommended.
In case of a nuclear leak, residents should "lock their doors".
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A copy of the guide sent to every French household
République Française
French Prime Minister François Bayrou
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A spokesman from Prime Minister Bayrou's office said: "The purpose of this document is to ensure the resilience of populations in the face of all types of crisis, whether natural, technological, cyber or security-related."
French officials reportedly said the decision to draw up the booklet had been made in 2022 in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
It forms part of a "national resilience strategy" to develop means to deal with crises and "to adapt public communication to the challenges of resilience."
Le Figaro noted that the timing "could easily suggest that the state is reacting to the unstable international situation".
A copy of the Protect and Survive manual
WikICommons
Some of the French booklet's leaked recommendations have sparked mockery. Comedian Matthieu Noel joked on France Inter radio: "Putin can drop a nuclear bomb on Paris, Ebola can hit the Cantal region, we'll be ready."
Meanwhile, the UK Government has not indicated any intention of preparing a new public information campaign on what British citizens should do during a nuclear attack.
Between 1974 and 1980, Britain produced the infamous "Protect and Survive" campaign, intended for release in case of attack.
It included a 32-page booklet advising the public to create a "fallout room" and "inner refuge" to protect from radiation, as well as painting windows white.
