Sweden is building a constellation of military satellites to monitor Russia
Sweden has launched its first military satellite into orbit, marking the start of the deployment of a network of ten satellites designed to monitor its borders with Russia. Over the next two years, the country plans to fully establish the constellation to monitor military activity in the region and conduct global threat analysis.
This was reported by the Swedish television channel SVT.
The launch took place on Sunday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California using a rocket from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. According to representatives of the Swedish Armed Forces, this step is part of a new military space program that will ensure the country’s independence in gathering intelligence data. Previously, Stockholm relied heavily on information from allies, but now it will be able to independently prioritize targets for long-range surveillance.
Anders Sundeman, head of the Swedish Army’s space division, called the successful launch a significant boost to the country’s defense capabilities. The new system will allow for real-time tracking of Russian troop movements and enable a rapid response to potential security challenges in the Baltic region. The Swedish government emphasizes that possessing its own space assets is a critically important step in modernizing the military amid growing geopolitical tensions.
The Swedish Coast Guard detained the sanctioned vessel Jin Hui near the coast of Trelleborg on suspicion of its affiliation with the Russian “shadow fleet.” The operation took place on Sunday, May 3, in the country’s territorial waters with the participation of police and aviation units.
Earlier, Swedish police officially seized the vessel Caffa, which had been held in the country’s territorial waters for two months.
Swedish police stated that the vessel, detained by Sweden in the waters of the Baltic Sea, was sailing under a false flag and was suspected of violating maritime law and national ship safety regulations due to its unseaworthiness.
