Russia has arrested a Swedish citizen who, according to the country’s security service, entered illegally with plans to carry out acts of sabotage. At the same time, Russian authorities claim the man previously served in Ukraine’s armed forces and have presented images and documents they say support this claim. Videos also circulate on social media showing the Swede participating in a recruitment campaign aimed at attracting more foreigners to join the Ukrainian army. In an interrogation with the Russian security service, the Swede claims that Ukraine wanted to use him to carry out acts of sabotage and terrorism on Russian territory.
On Thursday, multiple media outlets, including the news agency Reuters, reported that a Swedish citizen had been detained in Russia. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has commented on the information, stating that the government is investigating the matter.
“We have only received the information from the media right now, but we do not know more than what is reported there. Through our embassy in Moscow, we will try to investigate what this concerns,” Kristersson told SR.
According to details from the Russian security service FSB, cited by several media outlets, the detained Swede is 35-year-old Freddy Stålkrantz Lindholm from Stockholm. He is said to have been taken into custody in the Sebezhsky district of Russia’s Pskov region, near the borders with Latvia and Belarus.
FSB claims the Swede entered Russia illegally with the intention of carrying out sabotage and terrorist acts targeting military installations. According to the security service, the Swede allegedly used a supposed intent to enlist in the Russian army as a cover for entering the country.
It is not clear, however, from which country he is said to have crossed the border.
Russia Releases Interrogation with the Swede
The Russian authorities have also published a video, circulating on social media and picked up by multiple news outlets, showing Stålkrantz Lindholm being interrogated by the security service FSB.
In the video, the Swede states in English that he is from Stockholm and previously served in the Ukrainian military. He also says he signed a contract with the Ukrainian Aidar Battalion, which reportedly has been designated as a terrorist organization by Russia.
The Swede further explains that the contract was signed in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, where he claims to have undergone training in handling reconnaissance drones and later trained other recruits.
During the interrogation, the Swede states that Ukraine wanted to use him to conduct acts of sabotage and terrorism on Russian territory.
However, it remains unclear to what extent the claims about the Swede’s plans in Russia are true. The statements are made during an interrogation with the Russian security service, and it cannot be determined whether they were given voluntarily or under pressure. What is clear, however, is that the Swede has been detained on Russian soil.
Documents Said to Show Military Service in Ukraine
Russia has also published several images and documents reportedly obtained from Ukrainian authorities, which are said to belong to Freddy Stålkrantz Lindholm and, according to officials, prove that he was previously involved in Ukraine’s armed forces.
According to the FSB, the Swede is claimed to have served as a contract soldier in Ukraine between February and June this year, including as the commander of a group operating drones.
The Ukrainian-language documents, said to originate from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, concern the Swede’s military service and his subsequent discharge from the army.
In a document dated May 16, 2026, purportedly an extract from a military order, it is stated that Stålkrantz Lindholm was added to the personnel lists of unit A3488 and assumed the position of drone group commander within the unit’s infantry battalion.
The document also shows that he was registered as a contract soldier and, from the same date, would be included in the unit’s military provisioning and compensation system.
Another document, dated June 20, 2026, is said to show that the Swede subsequently left military service and was removed from the unit’s personnel lists. According to the paperwork, he was instead required to report to a military registration center in Ternopil by June 24.
The documents thus appear to show that Stålkrantz Lindholm held a formal military position in Ukraine, but their authenticity has not been verified.
According to media reports, following his arrest, the Swede has also been formally suspected of illegal border crossing. The security service also notes that he may face charges for participating in a terrorist organization and engaging in mercenary activities.
Participated in Recruitment Campaign for Ukraine
On social media, the Swede can be seen participating in an international recruitment campaign to attract more foreigners to join the Ukrainian military. The video was published in February this year.
“It’s not just about taking a life, because that is the easy part. The question is whether you yourself are prepared to sacrifice your life,” the Swede says in the Ukrainian recruitment video.