Overview
- Sapo reported that on Aug 10 it gathered information on and took measures against a Russian intelligence operation that it says it has now disrupted.
- The agency said the operation was planned and directed by the Russian foreign intelligence service, the SVR, and involved an agent working at a foreign diplomatic mission in Sweden.
- Sapo declined to name the diplomatic mission but said its monitoring established how the operation worked and which meetings and topics had been targeted.
- Officials said the operation sought information to enable influence campaigns on polarising issues with the goal of undermining Swedish decision‑making and discrediting Sweden, NATO and the EU.
- Sapo said it acted to protect vital Swedish assets and counter ongoing impact, and the disclosure follows years of warnings about Russian intelligence activity after Sweden joined NATO in 2024, a shift that raises the risk of diplomatic strain and closer scrutiny of embassy staff.