Swedish Court Acquits Russian-Born Businessman Sergei Skvortsov of Espionage Charges

Stockholm District Court Unconvinced by Prosecutor's Claims that Skvortsov's Actions Amounted to Espionage Despite Long-term Procurement Activity for Russia's Military Intelligence Service.

Sergei Skvortsov, a Russian-born Swedish businessman, was acquitted by a court in Stockholm of gross unlawful intelligence activity against the US and Sweden. Skvortsov was accused of passing Western technology to Russia's military intelligence service from 2013 to 2022.
While the prosecutor argued that Skvortsov acted as a 'procurement agent' for Russia's military and its GRU military intelligence service, providing misleading information and circumventing export rules and sanctions, the court found no evidence that his activities amounted to espionage.
Skvortsov was arrested in a high-profile raid in 2022 along with his wife, who was later released without charge. Skvortsov maintained his innocence throughout the case, with his lawyer stating that his business activities were wholly legal.
Skvortsov spent 11 months in custody before his release earlier this month. Despite the judge acknowledging that Skvortsov’s activities largely matched the prosecutor's claims, the prosecution failed to prove Skvortsov was involved in actual espionage.
This case comes amid heightened security concerns in Sweden, described as in 'the most serious security situation' since World War Two by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. In response, Sweden has applied to join NATO.