In the final stretch to join NATO after more than 200 years of military non-alignment, Sweden experience first-hand the Russian hybrid war in the form of disinformation. After all, Moscow is the main detractor of the Nordic country joining Finland in a military organization that feels ever closer to its borders. Only Finland shares 1,300 kilometers with Russian territory.
The Swedish town of The seal, where the world’s oldest, longest and largest cross-country ski race is held, hosted the annual Society and Advocacy Conference last Sunday. Among the guests was the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg.
In the midst of this idyllic snow-strewn winter wonderland, Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristerssonassured that the Nordic country, as they do Norway and Denmark since they joined NATO in 1949, it will not harbor nuclear weapons on its territory when it is a full member of the organization.
However, the Russian media RBC reported the act realizing that Sweden would host nuclear weapons on its territory. The news site has since corrected its article, with a note saying that the text has been “modified due to a translation error”, but the Swedish news agency TT reported on Tuesday night that the incorrect information, at least at the time, remained in Lenta. gazette and News.ru.
According to English translation of the Prime Minister’s speech Available on the Swedish government website, this is what Kristersson said on Sunday: “The entire responsibility of NATO is also the responsibility of Sweden. We will be a long-term, loyal and committed member. Like Norway and Denmark at the time, Sweden is joining NATO without formal conditions. Yet we see, as little as other Nordic countries, that having nuclear weapons on our own soil in peacetime is on the cards.”
The Swedish embassy in Moscow came out of the lie and contacted RBC to deny its false information, according to what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured the newspaper “Aftonbladet”. “The Swedish embassy in Moscow alerted RBC to the misquote. Prime Minister Kristersson said in his speech that Sweden will join NATO without formal reservations. He also said that, as for the other Nordic countries, it is not relevant to have nuclear weapons on our own territory in peacetime, ”Foreign confirmed to the Swedish newspaper.
Through his Facebook profile, the Swedish conservative leader warned the population to be vigilant against misinformation orchestrated by the Kremlin.
“Sweden, our neighboring countries and the rest of Europe are threatened by Russia’s hybrid war, and Russian disinformation, at the same time that Russia is waging a full-scale war of invasion against the Ukraine. The other day, the Säpo [los servicios de seguridad suecos] warned of more and more Russian espionage in Sweden. Now the Russian media is spreading pure disinformation about what I said in my speech in Sälen.”