Overview
- Operations chief Marko Petkovic says Swedish forces are encountering Russian submarines almost every week and that sightings have increased in recent years.
- NATO’s heightened posture under Operation Baltic Sentry is ongoing, with Swedish officials reporting no cable incidents in the region since the mission began in January.
- The alliance practiced anti-submarine warfare in November during the Playbook Merlin 25 exercise, bringing together submarines, surface ships, and aircraft from nine NATO nations.
- Petkovic reports Russia maintains a steady naval modernization program and produces roughly one Kilo-class submarine per year in St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad.
- Officials remain concerned about hybrid threats, including possible misuse of opaque commercial vessels in the so-called shadow fleet for activities such as launching drones.