Approved event from Hybrid War Tracker
Headline: Pro-Putin spy nuns infiltrating Sweden
Short Summary: Sweden uncovers a Russian spy network disguised as nuns with GRU links attempting to infiltrate and gather intelligence amid Russia-Ukraine war tensions.
Extended Summary: Swedish security services recently exposed a clandestine Russian espionage scheme involving individuals posing as Orthodox nuns. These operatives, tied to Russia's GRU military intelligence, sought to blend into Sweden's religious and migrant communities to conduct intelligence gathering and subversive activities. The operation capitalized on Sweden’s liberal asylum policies and its large Eastern Orthodox population to mask their true agendas. This fits within a broader Kremlin hybrid warfare campaign leveraging unconventional methods to destabilize and influence Nordic states amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Authorities have intensified counterintelligence efforts targeting such covert networks. The revelation highlights the growing sophistication of Russian espionage in Europe, extending beyond traditional spycraft into cultural and religious infiltration.
Swedish authorities uncovered a covert Russian espionage operation involving operatives disguised as nuns with links to the GRU, Russia's military intelligence unit. The operatives infiltrated Sweden posing as religious figures, using the cover to gather intelligence and advance Kremlin interests amid heightened tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This spy network exploited Sweden's open society and the country's large Orthodox Christian minority to gain trust and access. The discovery has raised concerns about Russia's unconventional espionage tactics and its hybrid warfare strategy targeting Nordic countries.
Classified as aggressor because the event describes a covert Russian espionage operation involving GRU-linked operatives infiltrating Sweden as part of hybrid warfare tactics. Classified as defense because Swedish authorities uncovered the operation and intensified counterintelligence efforts in response.
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