Sweden Identifies Russia as Primary Security Concern in Annual Report

In its latest report, Sweden's security agency warns that Russian intelligence operations pose significant risks to national and NATO security amidst rising tensions.

Sweden's security service, Sapo, has released its annual report revealing that Russia is considered the greatest threat to the nation due to its hostile posture towards the West. The report underscores how Sweden's membership in NATO has improved its defense capabilities, yet simultaneously incited a surge in Russian intelligence activities.

Charlotte von Essen, head of Sapo, emphasized that the security landscape in Sweden is serious, with the possibility of worsening conditions, particularly from foreign influences engaging in hybrid warfare and violent extremism. The report highlights a "tangible risk" that the security situation may deteriorate in unpredictable ways.

Since joining NATO last year as a response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sweden viewed the alliance as essential for its safety. Last January, Sweden's civil defense minister warned that "war could come to Sweden" given the escalating Russian aggression. Sapo's report indicates that Russian intelligence activities are focused on destabilizing NATO unity, undermining Western support for Ukraine, and evading sanctions.

Russian activities have grown "increasingly offensive and risk-prone" due to enhanced European defenses, according to the report. Sapo noted that the Russian security services utilize a myriad of resources for intelligence gathering, although their efforts have been constrained by the expulsion of several intelligence officers.

Von Essen called for public vigilance against "anti-state narratives and conspiracy theories" that could serve as destabilizing factors, stressing the necessity of not normalizing the current security challenges. The report also highlighted various suspicious incidents affecting infrastructure, with NATO launching monitoring missions following significant damage to undersea cables and pipelines—a concern that escalated after the onset of the Ukraine conflict.

The report cited Iran and China as additional significant security threats, with issues such as cyber-attacks and technology theft coming to the forefront. Sapo also conveyed concerns about the diversification of the terrorism threat landscape, indicating that extremist violence now includes actions incited by foreign powers and online radicalization among youth.

Von Essen noted that nations like Russia and Iran have been implicated in encouraging violent acts among young Swedes. The report addresses rising threats of violent Islamist extremism and right-wing terrorism, with Sweden maintaining a high alert status for terrorism threats—currently assessed at four out of five. The agency also reflected on recent tragedies, specifically referencing the dire aftermath of the mass shooting in Orebro that claimed nine lives, illustrating the country's escalating security challenges.