Sweden searches Russian vessel whose owner is suspected of arms shipments

Swedish authorities boarded the Russian container ship Adler, whose owning company is part of an arms export chain supplying Russia, on the night of 20-21 December.

Source: Swedish public service TV company SVT, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The vessel anchored near Höganäs after an engine malfunction on Saturday.

The overnight operation was led by the Swedish Customs Service, which requested assistance from the Coast Guard. SVT reports that officers from the National Task Force also took part, with the Security Police and the prosecutor's office involved in the case.

The inspection of the ship continued on Sunday morning. According to Customs Service spokesperson Martin Höglund, the boarding proceeded calmly and the crew behaved politely.

The Adler had been heading north through the Øresund Strait when engine problems occurred on the night of 19-20 December. After a distress signal was sent on Saturday morning, the ship dropped anchor.

The vessel is owned by the Russian company M Leasing LLC, which is under US and EU sanctions. According to available information, ships linked to this company have transported North Korean ammunition later used by Russia in its war against Ukraine.

This raid is one of a series of similar inspections carried out over the past year in EU waters in response to suspected Russian hybrid activity or arms trafficking.

It is known that the ship left the Russian port of St Petersburg on 15 December, but customs authorities have no information on its destination.

Background:

• On 18 December, the Council of the EU imposed new sanctions on more than 40 vessels belonging to Russia's shadow fleet.
• Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said earlier that Russia is stepping up hybrid attacks against European states to test their resilience, particularly in the Baltic Sea.

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