Sweden inspects dry cargo ship of company linked to Russian intelligence operations
2.11.2026 - 10:50
Swedish police boarded a dry cargo ship near the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. The shipping company has previously been linked to possible Russian hybrid and intelligence operations.
This was reported by the Swedish TV channel TV4.
The operation was carried out on the night of Saturday, October 31, when the dry cargo ship, which is more than 80 meters long, was in a port near the northwestern coast of Gotland.
According to TV4, the ship belongs to a company whose activities have previously been investigated in connection with possible Russian hybrid and intelligence operations.
In particular, the ships of this operator have previously appeared in investigations into the appearance of unknown drones in several European countries. Data on their movements indicated that they were near areas where suspicious drone activity was recorded.
According to TV4 sources, these ships could be used as bases for drones by Russian special services. At the same time, evidence of the involvement of a specific dry cargo ship in such operations has not been publicly presented.
According to the channel, the company has a representative office in Kaliningrad, Russia, where, according to its own information, it is recruiting crews. TV4 also claims that Russian citizens were on board the inspected vessel.
The Swedish police confirmed that law enforcement officers boarded the vessel and checked the documents of the crew members. Stockholm Region Police spokeswoman Karina Skagerlind explained that it was a routine border control.
According to her, no violations were found during the inspection.
At the same time, TV4, citing its own sources, reports that the Swedish national police special unit participated in the operation. The police did not confirm this information.
On Sunday, November 1, TV4 reported that after the inspection, the dry cargo ship left the Gotland area and headed south along the island’s coast.
The name of the vessel, its flag and IMO number were not made public by the Swedish media.
The photo is illustrative.
