Sweden Warns Of Hybrid Warfare Threats From Russia, China

The Swedish Armed Forces issued a statement this week highlighting the growing threat of hybrid warfare. The statement warned that Russia, China, and Iran are actively conducting intelligence operations against Sweden. It urged the nation’s political, military, and civil authorities to remain vigilant against direct and indirect threats.

On Sunday, Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, emphasized the precariousness of the situation, stating, “While Sweden is not at war, there is no peace either.” He underscored that Sweden and its neighbouring countries are increasingly vulnerable to hybrid attacks.

The statement, titled “Hybrid operations harm Sweden,” included remarks from Swedish Chief of Defence Force Gen. Leif Michael Claesson, further stressing the seriousness of these threats.

“Hybrid warfare is not a kinder, gentler form of war. It aims to harm or weaken us and our society – and NATO – through actions that are deniable and harder to trace and respond to,” he said.

“This can be done through actions that sabotage and destroy important societal functions, make decision-making more difficult, or damage confidence in the national authorities and leadership.”

The statement also said that “Russia, China and Iran are conducting intelligence operations against Sweden. The goal is to disrupt important societal systems, gain access to sensitive information and influence decision-making. The methods include cyberattacks, influence operations and sabotage.” It also stated that Sweden had been subjected to influence information campaigns and cyberattacks.

A key goal for Russia, according to the statement, is to undermine Western unity “by spreading disinformation and intensifying internal conflicts, it seeks to influence public opinion and create division.” The statement said such influence campaigns are spread via social media and other digital channels, often through fake accounts and AI-generated materials.

Sweden’s entry into NATO strengthens the country’s security through shared resources and cooperation while, however, Russia remains a serious threat, according to the statement. The war in Ukraine is part of a larger conflict over Europe’s security order, it read.

While the statement did not detail specifics of Chinese and Iranian hybrid warfare operations in Sweden, Prime Minister Kristersson said, “We also live in the era of proxy wars. Iran uses gang criminals with violent capital to commit serious crimes in Sweden through proxies.”

He went on to say that Russia and Belarus are instrumentalizing migrants to influence Finland and Poland and that Russia also tried to undermine the democratic elections in Moldova with bought votes.

“They are infiltrating Georgia and recently made a shocking attempt in the EU country Romania. If this succeeds, it will redraw the map of Europe – again,” warned Kristersson, who also said he and his government took such actions seriously.

Kristersson also pointed out the sabotage of underwater cables in the Baltic Sea, and said he and the heads of states and governments of Baltic Sea nations were taking such activities seriously and not making frivolous accusations. He also said Sweden respected the law of the sea and as such “could not, in international waters, and against the will of the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3, board and criminally investigate the corresponding damage to Swedish cables. Such are the rules.”

Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 was suspected of cutting two undersea fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea in mid-November.

Team BharatShakti