The agency warned that arms factories were already becoming targets, with SOFF, the organisation representing Swedish weapons manufacturers, reporting repeated attempts to break into members’ facilities in recent years. 

“We at Säpo have for some time seen indications of an increased Russian willingness to take risks, and this is being directed at operations which impact our security,” Karl Melin, Säpo’s press chief, told Swedish public broadcaster, SVT. “This is a broad operation, including everything from propaganda to sabotage, which is directed at the West, and therefore against Sweden.”

Robert Limmergård, SOFF’s Secretary General, said that member organisations, who include Hägglunds and Bofors, the Swedish arms of BAE Systems, and the figher jet and missile manufacturer SAAB, had reported a string of incidents. 

“These have partly been incidents where people have tried to take themselves into the companies’ facilities physically, but we have also seen drones trying to survey operations, and even to document the transport to and from these facilities.” 

SOFF has sent a letter to the government demanding that it take action to prevent drones spying on their operations, and to help them with security at facilities. 

“This is about actors who want to harm Sweden and our support for the Ukraine. It does not make any difference to them whether it’s a government agency or a company. They just attack the weakest link,” Limmergård said. “We are noticing an increased active threat and we notice that Russia, and also China and Iran, have reduced the threshold for action.”