Sweden expels five Russian diplomats accused of espionage

Five Russian diplomats were expelled over accusations of espionage, a first since the Western series of expulsions in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, the Swedish government announced on Monday.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström first announced the decision in an interview with SVT Nyheter, referring to the expelled Russian diplomats’ spying activities.

“Their activities on our territory have been incompatible with their status as diplomats,” Foreign Minister Billström said. However, he did not comment further but referred to the press release that had been issued.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has today summoned Russia’s Ambassador Victor Tatarintsev and announced that five officials at the Russian Embassy in Sweden are being asked to leave the country due to activities that are not compatible with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” the government said.

“Activities incompatible with the Vienna Convention”, in this case diplomatic language for espionage.

The expulsion comes the day before the release of the second episode of SVT’s and other Nordic public service media’s investigation into Russian intelligence activities. It is unclear whether there is a connection between the expulsions and the content of the programme that EURACTIV reported on previously.

The documentary, Skyggekrigen, was produced by Danish public service broadcaster DR in collaboration with Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish TV stations and revealed the goal of the Russian operation is allegedly to plan and carry out sabotage against Nordic countries, including cutting power and data cables across the Atlantic and the rest of Europe.

Russia has strengthened its presence in Sweden for several years, Swedish counter-intelligence chief Daniel Stenling told TT.

The Swedish Intelligence Services (Säpo, Säkerhetspolis) previously warned that every third Russian diplomat in Sweden actually works for one of the Russian intelligence services.

The last time Sweden expelled Russian diplomats was just over a year ago, when Russian diplomats across the EU were expelled in the weeks following the country’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Sweden expelled three – which was condemned as a belated and weak move.

Last week, Norway expelled 15 Russian diplomats. “The Russian Federation will give an appropriate response,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

(Charles Szumski | EURACTIV.com)