Sweden’s security service, Säpo, has disrupted a prolonged operation by Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, aimed at gathering intelligence on Swedish decision-making processes and international relationships.
The primary objective was to lay the groundwork for influencing public opinion on contentious issues, thereby weakening Sweden’s leadership and discrediting the country, the European Union and NATO.
Three individuals holding diplomatic immunity took part in the scheme: two SVR officers and an agent they recruited from a foreign embassy in Stockholm. The embassy’s country of origin has not been disclosed. The agent regularly passed information to the Russian officers during meetings that Säpo monitored over an extended period. Surveillance captured conversations, tasking instructions and even the exchange of gifts.
Kristoffer Vedelin, Säpo’s deputy head of operations, said the service had precise knowledge of the assignments given to the agent and the information he obtained.
Säpo took swift protective measures to safeguard national interests and prevent further interference. All three individuals have since left Sweden. Diplomatic immunity precludes any legal action against them. Säpo assesses that the operation has been successfully disrupted and that Russia failed to achieve its goals. “This is fully consistent with the threat posed by Russia,” a Säpo spokesperson said. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer confirmed that the government had been kept informed throughout and considers the adversary’s plans to have failed.