Sweden has managed to foil a Russian operation aimed at "discrediting Sweden, NATO and the EU", the Swedish security service reported, quoted by DPA.
The operation was led by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
"One of the goals of the operation was to collect information about the decision-making process in Sweden so that Russian intelligence services could conduct influence operations on polarizing public issues, with the aim of undermining the decision-making process in Sweden and discrediting Sweden, NATO and the EU", the Swedish security service said.
According to the statement, the Russian operation was also aimed at "Sweden's support for Ukraine and the country's military capacity".
The service said it had taken measures "to protect vital Swedish interests and to counter the continued influence".
The Swedish Security Service indicated that it had been collecting information about the operation for a long time and had determined that Russian intelligence officers had managed to recruit "an agent from a foreign diplomatic mission in Sweden".
According to information in local media, the two Russian intelligence officers were subsequently expelled from the country, and the foreign agent also left Sweden.