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Russia will likely remain a long-term security threat to its neighbors even after Vladimir Putin leaves office, according to the head of Sweden’s Military Intelligence and Security Service, Thomas Nilsson, UATV English reports.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Nilsson said Sweden views the current confrontation with Russia as a long-term strategic challenge rather than a temporary crisis.
“We do not see this crisis as temporary. Russia has chosen its path, and there is no way back. We are in a strategic confrontation that is deep, structural, and long-lasting. We cannot expect it to disappear on its own,” he said.
Nilsson added that, in Sweden’s assessment, the threat posed by Russia will outlast Putin’s rule.
His remarks follow the publication of satellite images by Nordic public broadcasters showing that Russia is expanding its military presence near NATO’s eastern flank. Moscow has insisted that the infrastructure buildup is defensive in nature.
According to Nilsson, Russia intends to establish larger, more structured military forces stretching from northern Finland southward. However, he noted that these plans remain largely on paper for now, as Moscow continues to prioritize its war against Ukraine.
“Our assessment is that once Russia restores the necessary resources and capabilities, it will seek to implement these plans,” he said.
