Sweden sends tanks and troops to the Baltic island in the face of Russian threat
“AThe Armed Forces is taking the necessary measures to protect Sweden’s integrity and show our ability to protect Sweden’s and Sweden’s interests, says Minister of Defense Peter Hulkwist to AFP via email.
The move comes amid rising tensions between Russia and member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) this week as three Russian landing craft sailed from Denmark via the Great Belt into the Baltic Sea.
In a statement on Thursday, the military said troops would be deployed “to strengthen operations in many places” when “Russian operations intensify in the Baltic Sea.”
Hutqvist told TT Nyheter that patrols on Gotland show that Sweden takes the situation seriously and that “this should not come as a surprise”.
Michael Clausen, head of the Swedish Armed Forces, told AFP that the units sent to Wispi were from the garrison already stationed on the island, which he denied was an “expression of violence”.
Western countries have accused Russia of gathering tanks and dozens of troops on the border with Ukraine in recent weeks, which according to NATO is a prelude to a possible invasion.
Russia denies that it is preparing for a military offensive and claims retaliation for the Atlantic Alliance’s growing presence in its sphere of influence.
In the middle of today, the Swedish Armed Forces said that they had discovered growing Russian activity in the Baltic Sea, which indicates the presence of “elements that deviate from the normal structure” and the decision to strengthen military production in the Scandinavian country.
“From today, we will be seen more and more, and we will be in important strategic places of a civilian nature,” SWD Thomas Angschmer, spokesman for the Gotland Brigade, told the audience TV, referring to the port and the airport on the Baltic Sea. of Sweden. ..் ..
The reason is the importance of “increasing activity” in the vicinity of Sweden and “proving to residents of Gotland and other countries that we have a security that works contextually”.
However, the Swedish defense considers that the risk of an attack on the Scandinavian country is “low”.
Tensions between Sweden and Russia have escalated in recent years, with the start of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and mutual condemnation of air violations, especially by Sweden.
In 2014, the most serious incident occurred when Stockholm allegedly indirectly accused Russia of having invaded its territory by a foreign submarine, but the main source was that several images produced by the public were released a few months later.
In recent years, Sweden has intensified cooperation with NATO, with which it has a trade union agreement, and approved a number of measures to increase the defense budget.
The Stockholm government decided to send a permanent unit to Scotland, re-establish compulsory military service, allow the presence of NATO troops on Swedish territory and reissue a guide on how to act in the event of an emergency or military invasion.
In 2018, the Armed Forces called in the 22,000-strong National Guard, a permanent force of volunteer guards, to demonstrate its ability to mobilize, which has not been accepted since 1975.
You can also read: Sweden strengthens military preparedness for Russian action and rejects the threat
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