Gävle, Landskrona, Norrköping and Kalmar. These are some of the Swedish ports where suspected Russian spy ships have called in recent years.
– We can do no more than keep them under surveillance, says the Swedish Navy’s press officer Jimmie Adamsson.
Suspicious sailing patterns
SVT, together with NRK, DR and Yle, has reviewed Russia’s operations in the Nordics in the investigation documentary series “The Shadow War”. By analyzing ship traffic data, NRK has been able to identify 50 Russian ships that have had suspicious sailing patterns in Nordic waters.
These include ships that have moved around offshore wind farms and over power and data cables.
– That type of movement and behavior is something that we note. It could become a threat if the situation around the world were to deteriorate further, electricity cables and communication cables are of course important for a country, says Jimmie Adamsson.
Discovered old radio equipment
Two of the vessels on the list arrived in Kirkenes, Norway last November. When the police checked the fishing vessels, old Soviet radio equipment was discovered behind locked doors.
Norwegian Security Police, PST, confirms for NRK that the findings are something that reinforces the suspicions that espionage is carried out from ordinary civilian fishing vessels.
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Eight ships in Swedish ports
SVT’s review shows that 27 of the Russian ships have been in Swedish territorial waters in the past five years and eight of them have called at a Swedish port.
– It is a business that we follow. State ships, i.e. ships owned by the Russian state, need permission to enter Swedish territory. But if the operation is camouflaged as an ordinary civilian merchant ship, it can be difficult for us to do anything about it, says Jimmie Adamsson.
The Swedish navy adapts its operations to some extent to the movements of the Russian ships.
– We notice that there is an interest from, for example, the Russian side in following our exercise activities.
The shipping company denies
The shipping companies that own the designated ships have, through NRK, taken note of the accusations of conducting intelligence activities. Only one shipping company handles the data.
They believe that they act fully in accordance with international and Norwegian rules. “If you’re looking for something, you’re really in the wrong place,” they conclude their answer.
Watch the entire SVT newscast on SVT Play.
Do you know more about Russia’s operations in Sweden? Tip SVT’s investigative reporters here.
