Sweden continues search for 'Russian submarine'

BRUSSELS

The search for an alleged Russian submarine in the waters off Sweden is continuing with "undiminished strength," Swedish Armed Forces officials have said as hundreds of people continue the hunt on land and at sea.

The search continued Monday after three sightings were made over the weekend claiming what was thought to be a submarine was lying off the archipelago of Sweden’s capital Stockholm and the Swedish Armed Forces released an image taken by an individual of what appeared to be a "foreign" submarine.

Military officials said in a statement: ''The operation is being conducted in order for the Armed Forces to establish if there are or has been foreign underwater activities in the area.

"Due to operational reasons, the Swedish Armed Forces are prevented from disclosing any details surrounding the operation."

'Encrypted signals'

A Russian merchant ship, NS Concord, was reported to have been spotted floating in international waters right outside Stockholm on Wednesday, and a Swedish signal intelligence official was reported to have detected an emergency conversation in Russian the following day.

Swedish daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported that a damaged or missing Russian submarine could be in the archipelago after encrypted signals were allegedly sent to Russia from its location Friday.

The Russian Defense Ministry has denied the allegations, saying none of its military vessels were damaged.

While the search for the submarine continued from Möja to Ornö -- islands off the Stockholm archipelago -- Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said the reports had only been "speculations."

''We have no confirmation of anything, so now I leave it to the armed forces to follow up. I have full trust and confidence in their exercises at the moment," Wallstrom said ahead of an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday. 

'Huge concern'

Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported armed forces officials saying activity had occurred in an area of interest to foreign powers and several observations had been made over the years of foreign underwater activity in the area of Kanholm Fjord, also located in Stockholm's archipelago.

When asked what the search for the submarine in Sweden’s territorial water meant for the country's sovereignty, Wallstrom said it was "a huge concern."

She said Sweden must proceed with policies the European Union had introduced against Russia, such as sanctions and condemnations over its actions in Ukraine and Crimea.

Wallstrom added: ''The Swedish position is not changing at all -- we continue to work through the European Union.

''We continue to have confidence in what has been set out as the European Union strategy.''

www.aa.com.tr/en