Suspected Russian ‘spy’ arrested in Sweden

STOCKHOLM, February 27. /TASS/. The Swedish Security Police (SAPO) have taken a man into custody suspected of spying for Russia, the press service said on Wednesday.

"A man suspected of illegal intelligence activity against Sweden has been detained. The security police are carrying out a preliminary investigation, led by prosecutors from the national security department," the statement said.

The alleged spy was arrested at a meeting in downtown Stockholm late on Tuesday. "This person is suspected of having been recruited by a Russian intelligence agent working under diplomatic cover in Sweden," said Daniel Stenling, who heads SAPO’s counter intelligence unit.

The person in custody is suspected of having been involved in counter-intelligence activity at least since 2017. He works in Sweden in the hi-tech sector with information, vital for foreign intelligence agencies, SAPO believes.

The prosecutors will decide by Friday on whether to place the suspect in custody. No other details can be provided on the case because of confidentiality issues.

The Russian Embassy in Sweden has not commented on the security agency’s statement.