NATO’s Northern Expansion (II)

 

BERLIN/BRUSSELS/STOCKHOLM(Own report) – Officially neutral Sweden can be considered a “de facto member” of NATO, a Swedish foreign policy expert confirmed in a new German foreign policy periodical. Last fall’s large maneuver in Sweden sent a clear “message” that the country’s neutrality has “de facto been suspended,” completely changing the entire military “map” of the Baltic region “to NATO’s advantage.” In fact, back already in the 1990s, Sweden had begun to build links to the western war alliance; crucial decisions had been taken already before the Ukraine conflict’s escalation and Crimea’s integration into the Russian Federation. The Bundeswehr is heavily involved in integrating the Swedish armed forces into NATO’s structures, focusing on naval cooperation. This cooperation is aiming at including the Swedish military into NATO’s naval operations. The cooperation of the naval forces is not limited to NATO’s framework, but may also be within that of the EU.

Sweden Ponders Introducing Conscription to Overstretched Military

A Swedish government study has recommended reintroducing compulsory military service in the country, news site The Local reported Wednesday.

The Swedish armed forces have been staffed entirely by voluntary personnel since the practice was scrapped in 2010. However, the rise of new security risks prompted the government to probe a potential return to conscription; it recommended this happen by 2018.

Russia warns of ‘risks’ should Sweden join Nato

A top Russian official has told a leading Swedish newspaper that the country would be likely to face military action if it were to join Nato.

Nearly one in three Swedes think the country should join Nato, a major poll suggested last month, up from 29 percent of Swedes in 2013 and 17 percent in 2012.

The shift in public opinion is largely credited to a rising fear in the Nordic country of a potentially aggressive Russia. Sweden’s security service Säpo recently stated that the biggest intelligence threat against the Nordic country in 2014 came from its eastern neighbour.

Swedish support for joining Nato swells

More Swedes are now in favour of their country joining Nato than are against the idea, according to a new survey by pollsters Novus.

37 percent of Swedes questioned said they supported joining Nato compared with 36 percent who were against the idea.

It is the first time a survey has suggested that a larger proportion of Swedes back joining Nato as opposed to keeping out of the organisation.

Swedish submarine mystery: Navy widens search off Stockholm as Russia denies involvement

Swedish authorities have asked all civilian vessels to leave waters south of Stockholm as a major operation continues to try to track down a mystery foreign vessel.

In scenes reminiscent of the Cold War, Swedish ships and helicopters scoured the area in a hunt for what some observers think could be a Russian submarine.

Russia denies it has a vessel in the area.

Russia’s official government newspaper said either Sweden’s echo location equipment was faulty or “as the old saying goes, the eyes of fear see danger everywhere”.

Russia Simulated A Large-Scale Aerial Night Attack On Sweden

Almost everyone is unprepared when it comes to fending off the Russian bear. So long as everyone continues to believe Russia is a backwards country, coupled with country leaders that continue to make concessions (i.e. Obama administration), this will continue to happen. Eventually, they will have first strike capability — if they don’t already. Every so often, and more often during the last few years, the ‘intelligence community’ is caught by ‘surprise’ about a new capability from countries such as Russia, China, Iran, etc…

According to the Svenska Dagbladet, after midnight on Mar. 29 (Good Friday),  the Swedish radars detected six fast planes  coming from the east, originating from the St. Petersburg area and overflying  the Gulf of Finland.

In reality, the route the aircraft were flying wasn’t suspect: Russian bombers periodically fly across the Baltic Sea to reach the Russian  exclave of Kaliningrad, located between Lithuania and Poland.

However, on Mar. 29, the two Tu-22M3  Backfire heavy bombers, capable of carrying cruise missiles and nuclear  weapons, and their four Su-27 Flanker fighter jets escort got dangerously close to the Swedish airspace and, at 2 AM local time, they skirted Gotland island,  some 30-40 kilometers off the Swedish territorial waters.