Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Sweden's Minister of Civil Defense, announced in an interview with the TT agency that next year the crews of coast guard vessels they will receive heavier portable weapons.
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The Swedish Guard will also install machine guns on some units. This is a significant change, because previously officers only had pistols.
The Swedish coast guard will be reinforced
The government is also considering purchasing more advanced weapon systems and anti-drone protection measures. “We have to address the threat that already exists against Coast Guard vessels,” Bohlin said.
The Swedish Coast Guard was also given another task – monitoring undersea cables running through the Baltic Sea. “We must be prepared for the deterioration of the situation in the Baltic Sea,” Bohlin warned.
Sweden fights the Russian shadow fleet. More arrests in the Baltic Sea
On Sunday, a Swedish formation off the coast of Trelleborg seized the tanker Jin Hui. The reason was the suspicion that the ship belonged to the Russian shadow fleet and the lack of seaworthiness. In recent weeks, the Swedish Coast Guard also detained four other vessels – Swedish authorities accused their crews of using false flags or polluting the marine environment.
The shadow fleet is a network of tankers and merchant ships used by Russia to transport mainly oil in order to avoid sanctions imposed by Western countries.
