Head of Swedish military intelligence warns of high threat of Russian hybrid warfare
Sweden faces a high threat of Russian hybrid warfare aimed at undermining support for Ukraine, said Thomas Nilsson, head of Sweden’s Military Intelligence and Security Service (MUST). As Anadolu Agency reports, the Russian Federation, an aggressor state, is conducting complex hybrid operations against NATO countries, including Sweden.
Goals of hybrid operations
According to Nilsson, Russia is trying to sow uncertainty, divide allies and weaken their support for Ukraine. He also told Swedish public broadcaster SVT that Moscow seeks to bring this support to an end.
The MUST chief’s statement came after a meeting of Sweden’s National Security Council, which discussed an explosive-laden drone discovered in August at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany. German authorities linked the incident to Russia. Nilsson described it as a hybrid attack that raised the threat to a more dangerous level and noted that the drone was likely intended to explode.
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Protective measures
Nilsson said that Sweden is prepared for a similar scenario and is taking protective measures to safeguard activities related to support for Ukraine. This also applies to private companies and other involved entities.
At present, Sweden is not the main target of Russian hybrid operations, according to Nilsson’s assessment. At the same time, he warned that Russia could quickly change its priorities and begin identifying targets in Sweden. He named Germany, Poland and the Baltic states as the main targets of such operations.
Earlier, Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service said that Russia is preparing sabotage operations against the Danish defense industry, primarily companies linked to military support for Ukraine. According to the Danish service, Russian intelligence services approached Danish citizens with offers to photograph warehouses, monitor deliveries to factories or commit arson.
