On Thursday afternoon, tensions in the Baltic Sea escalated when naval services spotted a Russian ship in the Öresund. The vessel was identified as the Sibiryakov, capable of conducting underwater surveillance.
Swedish, Danish, and German defense forces closely monitored the ship as it passed through the Öresund during the Baltops naval exercise, according to SVT Nyheter.
SVT reported that at least 27 suspected Russian spy ships have entered Swedish territorial waters in the past five years, with eight of them docking at Swedish ports.
Former Lieutenant Colonel Jörgen Elfving suggested that Russian activities may have intensified since Sweden joined NATO.
Elfving also pointed out that the Sibiryakov, which operated with deactivated tracking systems, serves as an effective platform for various reconnaissance methods, including optical and signal intelligence, as well as seabed surveys.
"A ship is an exceptional intelligence asset," Elfving remarked.
According to Jimmie Adamsson, Director of Communications at the Third Naval Battle Flotilla, larger military exercises are often monitored by Russian ships.
He commented on the challenge of determining the specific capabilities of the Sibiryakov during its passage.
Adamsson emphasized the importance of allied cooperation in closely monitoring the ship's activities.
