Sweden warns of increased hybrid activity by Russia
The Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service stated in its annual report that Russia remains the greatest threat to the national security of the state and the Alliance.
The document emphasizes that Moscow's increasingly risky behavior could lead to a dangerous escalation in the Baltic region, particularly through airspace violations, sabotage, and cyber operations, according to Censor.NET.
Details
The head of Sweden's Military Intelligence and Security Service, Thomas Nilsson, said that hybrid threats from Russia are growing and that Russia is becoming more active near Sweden.
According to him, Moscow is acting more intensively and riskier. Thomas Nilsson stated that hybrid threats from Russia are growing and that Russia is increasing its activity near Sweden. He said that after the country joined NATO, Russia's interest in intelligence and hybrid operations in the region has grown significantly. Moscow may try to "test" the readiness of the Alliance member state to respond to provocations.
At the same time, Estonian intelligence reported that artillery and ammunition production in Russia had increased 17-fold since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, there are currently no signs of immediate preparations for an attack on Estonia or NATO countries.
Stockholm emphasizes that Russia's hybrid attacks against European states require a consolidated response, including enhanced maritime surveillance, cyber defense, critical infrastructure protection, and rapid intelligence sharing between EU and NATO countries.
According to the Center for Countering Disinformation, Sweden has already exposed Russian influence operations. For example, Swedish law enforcement agencies previously exposed Russian Orthodox Church nuns suspected of collaborating with Russian military intelligence.
