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Russian revelations continue: 38 Nordic-based intelligence officers identified by documentary
CPH POST reporter
April 26th, 2023
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It is claimed that between a third and half of the employees at Russia’s embassies in region are seconded by the country’s intelligence services
No comment from Vladimir Barbin, the Russian ambassador, yet (photo: Hasse Ferrold)
Another round of revelations has emerged from ‘Skyggekrigen’ (the shadow war), a new documentary series co-produced by the public broadcasters of the four main Nordic nations.
In the latest episode streamed on DRTV, it is revealed that Russia has spy stations in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. The documentary names 38 intelligence officers from the SVR, GRU and FSB – all of whom are involved in extensive espionage against the Nordic societies.
“When it comes to Russia, a large part of the diplomatic mission are Russian intelligence officers from the various intelligence services,” contends Daniel Stenling, the counterintelligence chief at the Swedish intelligence service SÄPO, in the documentary.
Last week the documentary revealed how Russia’s military program is using ‘ghost boats’ to obtain an overview of the region’s infrastructure, mapping gas pipelines, significant cables and offshore wind farms in the waters around Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden.
Far-reaching powers
Citing further sources from Nordic and Western intelligence services, today’s media has documented how the intelligence officers have worked at Russia’s embassies in the Nordics.
“The Russian services are very professional. They are enormously competent, they are very large, and they have many resources at their disposal with very far-reaching powers,” contended counterintelligence chief Anders Henriksen from the Danish Police Intelligence Service (PET).
Several Nordic intelligence services estimate to DR that between a third and half of the employees at Russia’s embassies in the Nordics are seconded by the Russian intelligence services.
In a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the documentary series is a “co-ordinated fake story”. None of the Russian ambassadors in Sweden, Norway or Denmark have yet given an interview on the matter.
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