Putin sets sights on another NATO member: Intelligence exposes Kremlin’s new operation

Russian intelligence services have launched a large-scale effort to map Sweden’s critical infrastructure. The Kremlin is laying the groundwork for real acts of sabotage and subversion, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation said, citing Sweden’s security service.

Sweden’s security service warns that Russia may move towards riskier and less predictable actions. It said Russian operatives had been tasked with recording and mapping facilities critical to national defense.

The data collection may signal preparations for possible sabotage, targeting not only military sites but also energy, transport and digital systems.

Sweden has grounds to regard Russia as a threat to its security. The country has repeatedly faced cyberattacks, airspace violations by Russian aircraft and incidents involving underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

Unconventional methods have also been identified. Swedish law enforcement previously exposed representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church suspected of cooperating with Russian military intelligence.

“Russia’s actions in Sweden point to a systematic approach, from intelligence gathering to the preparation and possible execution of sabotage. This confirms the expansion of the Kremlin’s hybrid aggression against European countries, which is growing in scale,” the Center for Countering Disinformation said.