Two Swedish brothers have been convicted of espionage on behalf of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, with the eldest now facing life in jail.
(Bloomberg) — Two Swedish brothers have been convicted of espionage on behalf of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, with the eldest now facing life in jail.
The two men, who were arrested in September 2021, obtained about 100 classified documents from Sweden’s security and intelligence service on behalf of the GRU, according to the verdict from a Stockholm district court.
The files were accessed by the older brother during his employment at Sweden’s security service and military intelligence, while the younger brother, who was sentenced to 9 years and 10 months in prison, handled contact with the Russian agency, according to the court.
The conviction comes as Sweden and Finland seek to join NATO after Russia’s attack on Ukraine marked a paradigm shift in their security policies. The invasion prompted EU countries to step up security on everything from energy to digital infrastructure.
“The older brother’s espionage falls into the most grave category,” senior judge Mans Wigen said in a statement. “With full knowledge of the damage it would cause, he has obtained, transferred and disclosed information to Russia, which constitutes the largest threat to Sweden’s security.”
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