Sweden is moving to increase its security on the island of Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic Sea. It did so with a view to "adapting" its security strategy to the "tense situation" on the Russia-Ukraine border, which lies about 1,700 km to the southeast.
The sleepy residents of the town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland were awakened to the sound of heavy military hardware roaring through the streets on Saturday (15/1/2022). The Swedish Army's Stridsfordon 90 infantry fighting vehicle arrived overnight to secure the quiet coastal town and port.
In a statement, the Swedish military said a rapid response tactical unit of the Swedish Armed Forces had been deployed to the island. Some of the units were flown in late Friday by US C-17 heavy transport aircraft as part of Sweden's "international collaboration" program while the rest arrived by ferry from mainland Sweden.
Sweden's military said the effort should be seen as part of the country adapting its strategy to tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which have been making media headlines for several months.
The US and its NATO allies have claimed that Russian troops will attack neighboring Ukraine in early January or February. But Moscow has dismissed the statement as "fake news."
"The deployment does not necessarily mean an increase in threat," the head of operations for the Swedish Armed Forces, Michael Claesson, told the media as reported by Russia Today, Sunday (16/1/2022).
Speaking to the AP, he also cited Russia's alleged increased activity in the Baltic Sea that "deviates from the normal picture."
While Claesson's comments appear to have underestimated the Russian threat. Articles published in Swedish media on Saturday spoke of the military strengthening its position as it prepares to defend the country's most vulnerable place.
According to German tabloid Bild, specifically linking the surprise deployment of the Swedish military with Russia's recent decision to move three of its heavy landing craft from the Barents Sea in the Arctic Ocean to the Baltic Sea.
Citing an unnamed Stockholm official, the newspaper said the Swedish Army was on standby if Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to use the ships to seize Gotland.
“If Putin is planning something against the Baltic states, he must first take Gotland. We are looking at the movement of Russian troops and we have to take this scenario seriously," the official claimed.
According to this source, Moscow may be tempted to deploy S-400 air defense systems to the island to cut off NATO air support from the Baltic states.
The German tabloid provided no evidence that plans to invade and occupy parts of Sweden were ever considered by Russia. Moscow has not yet responded to the latest allegations, but has repeatedly denied having any plans to attack Ukraine.
Both Moscow and Washington meanwhile have accused each other of preparing a false flag operation in eastern Ukraine, which would then spark a full-blown conflict.
The situation around Ukraine has led to high-level talks between Russia, America, NATO and OSCE officials over the past week. Various steps are being pursued to find common ground on the problems that occur in Ukraine
Moscow put forward a series of proposals to improve collective security in Europe, which included assurances that NATO would not expand further east. This demand has been rejected by the US and its allies.
