The Swedish army wants to acquire long-range missiles that can hit targets deep inside Russia, the Scandinavian country's Defense Minister Poul Jönsson said, quoted by Reuters.
In a report adopted by the government this week, the Swedish armed forces said they want weapons systems with a range of up to 2,000 kilometers, which would give them the ability to strike critical infrastructure located far behind enemy lines.
"The experience of the war in Ukraine shows that Russia is actively developing its long-range strike capabilities with cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as drones, Jönsson said. "We need to build a stronger deterrent against this threat," he added.
The distance between Moscow and Stockholm is about 1,000 km. The Swedish air force has ordered Taurus cruise missiles, which can hit targets up to 500 km away, but Jönsson said other systems could be considered.
The Swedish minister also said that Russia was expected to increase its military capacity over the next five years, which is why Sweden needed to strengthen its air defense and intelligence capabilities.