The alleged spying case came to light after this dawn raid in the Stockholm suburbs last year. AP
The alleged spying case came to light after this dawn raid in the Stockholm suburbs last year. AP
The alleged spying case came to light after this dawn raid in the Stockholm suburbs last year. AP
The alleged spying case came to light after this dawn raid in the Stockholm suburbs last year. AP

Sweden charges 'Russian agent' with spying on western tech


Tim Stickings
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Sweden on Monday charged a man arrested in a dramatic helicopter raid with spying for Russian military intelligence for almost a decade.

Prosecutors say Sergey Skvortsov, 60, secretly acquired western technology and passed it to Russia's GRU spy agency.

He denies any wrongdoing.

Mr Skvortsov and his wife were held in a pre-dawn swoop involving Black Hawk helicopters at their suburban home last year. The woman was released and is no longer a suspect.

The charges against Mr Skvortsov allege he spied on Sweden from 2014 until his arrest.

He is accused of obtaining "various items that the Russian state and the defence forces could not acquire on the open market due to export rules and sanctions".

It is claimed he located items requested by Russia before "negotiating and carrying out the purchase and further organising the transport of the goods while concealing the actual end user".

A Swedish-Russian dual citizen, he is said to have worked for various export businesses in Sweden after moving there in the 1990s.

"Skvortsov and his company have been a platform for the Russian military intelligence service GRU and part of the Russian state for illicit technology procurement from the West," the indictment says.

The house where Sergey Skvortsov was arrested last year. He is alleged to have acquired western technology and passed it to Russian intelligence. AP
The house where Sergey Skvortsov was arrested last year. He is alleged to have acquired western technology and passed it to Russian intelligence. AP

Prosecutors say his activities included "dealings with various American companies" and could have damaged US security. An FBI special agent is listed among the witnesses.

A lawyer for Mr Skvortskov, Ulrika Borg, told Reuters: "He reiterates that he denies all charges."

The charge of "unlawful intelligence activities" is a step lower than espionage. A trial due is to start on September 4.

Mr Skvortsov, who has been in detention since his arrest, faces up to four years in prison if found guilty.

Western countries have reported an increase in foreign intelligence activity during the Russia-Ukraine war. Sweden is applying to join Nato as a result of the conflict.

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MATCH INFO

Pakistan 106-8 (20 ovs)

Iftikhar 45, Richardson 3-18

Australia 109-0 (11.5 ovs)

Warner 48 no, Finch 52 no

Australia win series 2-0

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

Updated: August 28, 2023, 11:41 AM`