STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s armed forces confirmed they are tracking a Russian submarine that entered the Baltic Sea on Tuesday.
The military stated the submarine entered via the Great Belt, a Danish strait.
Swedish jet fighters and warships intercepted the vessel in the Kattegatt strait between Denmark and Sweden.
This monitoring represents a routine operation conducted in close collaboration with allied nations.
Military officials emphasised they maintain good situational awareness of their immediate maritime vicinity.
Baltic Sea tensions have escalated significantly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson remarked in January that Sweden exists in a state between war and peace.
Sweden abandoned two centuries of military non-alliance by joining NATO in 2024.
Kristersson highlighted that the entire Baltic Sea region faces ongoing hybrid attacks.
These hybrid threats include disinformation campaigns and incidents damaging underwater infrastructure.
The prime minister characterised the Russian threat as likely long-term, requiring sustained defensive measures. – AFP
