Swedish navy encountering Russian submarines 'almost weekly' – and more could be on the way

Sweden's Navy on High Alert as Russian Submarines Lurk in Baltic Sea

The Swedish navy is grappling with an almost weekly presence of Russian submarines in the Baltic Sea, its chief of operations revealed, amid escalating tensions over Ukraine. According to Capt Marko Petkovic, Moscow has been continuously reinforcing its military presence in the region, rendering sightings of Russian vessels a regular occurrence for Swedish naval personnel.

Petkovic warned that Russia's submarine fleet is modernizing rapidly, with one Kilo-class submarine being produced annually in St Petersburg and the Kaliningrad enclave. This deliberate and constant modernization programme poses a significant threat to regional security. The Swedish navy needs to adapt and grow its capabilities to counter this emerging threat.

However, Petkovic noted that Sweden's Navy has seen an improvement in safety thanks to increased NATO vigilance. Since Operation Baltic Sentry was established in January, there have been no reported incidents of cable sabotage in the region. While the cause of these incidents may be disputed, they have raised awareness among merchant vessels about the need for increased caution while navigating regional waters.

The Baltic Sea is becoming increasingly complex, with a range of threats including suspected hybrid attacks from drones, alleged sabotage of underwater infrastructure, and a steady influx of aging oil tankers known as shadow fleet ships carrying crude oil from Russia. These developments underscore the gravity of the situation, highlighting the need for enhanced cooperation among regional nations to ensure maritime security.

NATO's anti-submarine warfare exercise, Playbook Merlin 25, recently took place in Sweden, featuring nine countries and hundreds of personnel practicing submarine-hunting skills in the challenging underwater landscape of the Baltic. This exercise demonstrated the importance of collective efforts in addressing emerging threats and has helped raise awareness among regional nations about the need for enhanced security measures.

As tensions over Ukraine continue to escalate, Russia's military presence in the region is likely to intensify, with the Swedish navy remaining on high alert to counter this growing threat. With the Baltic Sea becoming increasingly complex, it is essential that regional nations work together to ensure maritime security and stability.

I'm getting so done with all these submarine sightings in the baltic sea ! like, can't russia just chill already? anyway, i think it's great that sweden's navy is stepping up their game and adapting to this new threat . it's about time they modernized their subs too, idc which class it is . the thing is, it's not just about counter sub ops, we need to work together with our NATO friends and regional nations to address these hybrid attacks & sabotage incidents . let's get this maritime security stuff sorted out already!

omg this is getting serious sweden's navy needs to step up their game ASAP and i'm all for nato taking a stronger stance on this one we can't have russia just lurking around our waters like that it's not safe at all let's hope they can get that submarine fleet under control soon

man... russias been creeping up on sweden's naval waters like its some kinda thing theyre modernizing their subs like crazy and its getting scary for the swedish navy but at least nato's got there back with all these exercises like playbook merlin 25 i mean, we cant just sit around waiting for something to happen, gotta stay vigilant and adapt our defences

I can imagine how scary it must be for those swedish sailors who have to deal with all these russian subs lurking around... their job is so stressful and I just wanna give them a big hug and tell them everything's gonna be alright it's not right that they have to worry about safety every time they're out on the water... but at the same time, i can see why the swedish navy needs to stay vigilant - those russian subs are getting more modernized by the minute and it's just so frustrating when countries have to play these kinds of power games in our world... what happened to diplomacy and communication? anyway, i hope that nato exercise was super helpful for them and that they can all work together to keep each other safe

Ugh, subs everywhere ! I mean, i get it, sweden needs to be prepared but can't they just make their websites more accessible for people with disabilities? like, a simple alt tag on an image or something would be nice . anyway, back to the russian subs... it's not good that they're modernizing so fast. maybe nato should have some kinda submarine-hunting game where countries can team up and take down each other's subs in a fun way ? just kidding ( sort of). seriously though, we need more info on how sweden plans to counter this threat without putting its own sailors at risk

I gotta say, people are super quick to jump at Russia's submarine sightings in Sweden . Like, yeah, Russia's been beefing up its military presence, but we gotta consider the bigger picture here . NATO's anti-submarine warfare exercise in Sweden was a huge success, and it showed that collective efforts can go a long way in addressing emerging threats . We shouldn't be pitting our navies against each other; instead, let's focus on cooperation and mutual understanding . The Swedish navy needs to adapt, but so do the Russians – we just need to keep calm and carry on .

I'm a bit worried about Sweden's situation but at the same time, I think it's awesome that they're taking proactive steps to stay safe . Those NATO exercises are so cool! It's all about being prepared and working together as a community . And hey, on the bright side, it's not like Russia is making any aggressive moves yet... Let's focus on building bridges instead of blowing things up . We can always count on our international friends to help each other out . The Baltic Sea might be complex, but with cooperation and tech-savviness, I'm sure we'll find a way to navigate these challenges !

so like every time there's a 'tension' between countries, we get to enjoy a free show of military readiness ... i mean who needs actual diplomacy when you have subs lurking in the depths? and don't even get me started on the 'threat' posed by Russia's modernized submarine fleet ... like we haven't seen that before ... or maybe i'm just waiting for the next big thing

omg yaaas lets keep those russian subs at bay!!! i mean seriously tho Sweden's got this!! theyre adapting & growing their capabilities fast like the kaliningrad enclave thing is soooo concerning but if nato's on it then im good let's hope that playbook merlin 25 was a success & those subs dont get away with anything

just saw that some swedish merchant vessels had their cables sabotaged in january lol like what's next? russian subs are lurking in the baltic sea all the time now, it's not a drill nato's anti-submarine warfare exercise was cool and all but it's gonna take more than that to keep up with russia's submarine modernization program... need some serious funding for swedish navy ASAP

I'm not sure how reassuring it is that there's been no reported incidents of cable sabotage since Operation Baltic Sentry started... yeah, let's just say it's a good thing we're seeing some improvement in safety, but at the same time, I think we need to acknowledge the reality of the situation. Russia's got its submarines lurking around, and our navy needs to step up its game if it wants to keep us safe

u heard about this? sweden's got a big problem with russian subs in the baltic sea . its like they're just showing up whenever they want. i think its pretty sus how rapidly russia is modernizing their fleet tho... that's some scary tech stuff . also, nato exercises are cool, but its good to see sweden stepping up its game too

Ugh, I'm getting anxious just thinking about those subs lurking around the Baltic Sea ‍ Like, what's Russia's game here? Are they trying to send a message or just wanna chill in our waters? Newsflash: Sweden's navy can't keep up with this modernization nonsense! Those Kilo-class subs are being churned out like crazy in St Petersburg and Kaliningrad... it's like Russia's got some sorta death wish . And don't even get me started on the shadow fleet ships - just what we need, more oil tankers floating around, waiting to be sabotaged or hijacked . NATO's gotta step up its game, ASAP! We can't rely on just one exercise to keep our waters safe... we need real-time cooperation and intel-sharing . This is getting serious, folks

OMG this is getting super scary! I mean, Russia's been lurking around Sweden's Navy nonstop? That's like, what if they decide to attack or something? And those Russian subs are being made like 1 a year in St Petersburg? That's not even funny anymore... they're just upgrading their military capabilities and it's making me super uneasy . I don't know how Sweden's Navy can keep up with this, but they gotta step it up ASAP! NATO's been helpful tho, at least they're on high alert now... fingers crossed nothing major happens

I'm getting a bit worried about Sweden's Navy situation... those Russian subs are like a bad cold - they just keep coming back! And with Russia modernizing its submarine fleet, it's like they're getting a new set of super cool gadgets. But seriously, this is a big deal for regional security and we should all be on the lookout. I mean, who wants to see cables get sabotaged or underwater infrastructure attacked? NATO's exercise in Sweden was a good start, but we need more cooperation from other nations to make sure our waters are safe. Let's hope they can keep up with those Russian subs!

I'm keeping an eye on this situation, I'm not surprised Russia's submarine fleet is getting a modernization boost , but what's worrying me is how the Baltic Sea has become like a hotbed for suspicious activity - cables being sabotaged, underwater infrastructure being targeted... it's like they're trying to cause chaos . NATO's anti-submarine warfare exercise was a good show of strength, but we need more concrete actions from our leaders to address this threat . Sweden's Navy is right to be on high alert, but I wish they'd have some more info on what exactly's happening behind the scenes . We can't just sit back and wait for someone to make a move - we need to stay vigilant .

"Events are won for those who expect the other fellow will move too soon." The situation in the Baltic Sea is getting more intense by the day, and it's clear that Russia's actions are a calculated threat to regional security. We need to be vigilant and work together with our allies to counter these threats before it's too late