Sweden detains ex-military IT consultant suspected of spying for Russia

A 33-year-old former IT consultant for Sweden’s Armed Forces has been detained on suspicions of spying for Russian intelligence, Swedish prosecutors said on Friday.

The suspected criminal activity took place throughout 2025 and into the New Year,, but Swedish authorities believe the espionage may have been ongoing since 2022, the year Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Senior prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist declined to provide further details, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation.

Citing an Armed Forces spokesperson, Swedish media reported that the suspect lives in central Sweden and previously worked with the military from 2018 until 2022 as a consultant through an IT services company. The man is also registered as the head of a cybersecurity firm focused on “offensive cyber operations,” which reportedly has no recorded turnover.

Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said last week the government was involved in the case because it concerns national security.

Sweden has been a key supporter of Ukraine, providing military, financial and humanitarian aid, and has been targeted by Russian cyber espionage and hybrid operations. These have included incidents such as damage to submarine cables in the Baltic Sea, which Western officials believe may be linked to Russian sabotage campaigns.

The case comes amid a broader crackdown across Europe on alleged Russian intelligence activity. Earlier this year, a Romanian man was arrested in the United Kingdom on suspicion of assisting Russian sabotage efforts. Last June, an Estonian court sentenced a professor at the University of Tartu to six years in prison for espionage on behalf of Russian intelligence services.