Swedish special forces have conducted an operation aboard a Russia-linked vessel in the Baltic Sea, Sweden's TV4 television channel reports.
On the night of October 30-31, Swedish special forces boarded a Russia-linked dry cargo vessel near the northwestern coast of Gotland Island in the Baltic Sea. The vessel belongs to a company previously suspected by Swedish authorities of involvement in Russian intelligence and hybrid operations.
The Stockholm Regional Police Department stated that special forces boarded the vessel to check the crew and travel documents. Police did not disclose further details about the operation. Following the inspection, the vessel left its anchorage and headed south along the coast of Gotland Island.
The Swedish television channel did not disclose the company's name. The company has offices in Kaliningrad, where it recruits crew members. Vessels belonging to the company have previously been inspected in connection with the appearance of unidentified drones in several European countries.
Some of the vessels were present in those areas at the times when drone flights were recorded.
Tankers suspected of links to Russia's "shadow fleet" detained in Sweden
In mid-August, Russian Ambassador to Sweden Sergey Belyayev stated that since the end of 2025, Swedish authorities had detained a total of five vessels, including those with Russian citizens on board. Two of them were released following inspections. However, the Sea Owl I and Jin Hui tankers remain at anchor in Sweden. These vessels are reportedly linked to Russia's "shadow fleet."
In March 2026, Sweden also detained the Caffa dry cargo vessel, which was transporting grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine, in the Baltic Sea. At the end of the summer, the country's Supreme Court ruled that the vessel should be handed over to Kyiv.
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