This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29680960
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Russia denies submarine incident off Sweden | Russia denies submarine incident off Sweden |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Russian defence ministry has denied reports that one of its submarines got into trouble in the waters off Sweden. | |
The Swedish military has been searching the sea since Friday, following what the military said was foreign underwater activity. | |
It has denied looking for a submarine, and said that it was conducting an intelligence operation. | |
However, a local newspaper said Sweden had intercepted a distress signal in Russian. | |
Soviet submarine sightings during the Cold War caused security alerts in Sweden in the 1980s. | |
Russia's military intervention in Ukraine this year has fuelled suspicion about its intentions towards other neighbouring states, notably in the Baltic. | Russia's military intervention in Ukraine this year has fuelled suspicion about its intentions towards other neighbouring states, notably in the Baltic. |
It has several submarines based in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania and facing out to Sweden, as well as a much bigger force near Murmansk on the Kola Peninsula. | It has several submarines based in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania and facing out to Sweden, as well as a much bigger force near Murmansk on the Kola Peninsula. |
Last month, another Swedish newspaper, Expressen, reported an incursion by two Russian SU-24 fighter bombers into national airspace. Sweden scrambled jets to see them off, it said. | Last month, another Swedish newspaper, Expressen, reported an incursion by two Russian SU-24 fighter bombers into national airspace. Sweden scrambled jets to see them off, it said. |
A defence ministry spokesman in Moscow told reporters that the Russian navy's submarines and surface ships were "performing tasks... according to plan". | A defence ministry spokesman in Moscow told reporters that the Russian navy's submarines and surface ships were "performing tasks... according to plan". |
"There has been no irregular situation, let alone emergency situation, involving Russian navy vessels," he said. | "There has been no irregular situation, let alone emergency situation, involving Russian navy vessels," he said. |
Sources told Svenska Dagbladet newspaper that Sweden had begun a search after a radio transmission in Russian was detected on an emergency frequency on Thursday evening. | |
Encrypted radio traffic from a point in the Stockholm archipelago and Kaliningrad was later also picked up. | Encrypted radio traffic from a point in the Stockholm archipelago and Kaliningrad was later also picked up. |
A corvette equipped with anti-submarine technology, the Visby, joined other vessels, as well as helicopters and amphibious troops, in scanning the search area. | A corvette equipped with anti-submarine technology, the Visby, joined other vessels, as well as helicopters and amphibious troops, in scanning the search area. |