Sweden indicts two men for spying on behalf of Russia

[November 11, 2022]   STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Swedish prosecutors on Friday indicted two brothers for gross espionage on behalf of Russia, saying the alleged crime could be detrimental to the Nordic country's security.

The men, aged 42 and 35, have been detained since last year and have previously denied all allegations. Their lawyer could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday.

"The suspicion concerns very serious criminality directed against Sweden's intelligence and security system. The offense is serious as it concerns circumstances of major importance," the Swedish Prosecution Authority said in a statement.

The two men are suspected of having provided Russian intelligence agency GRU with classified information for a decade, starting in 2011. One of the brothers have worked for the Swedish Security Police and the Armed Forces during the period, according to court documents.

"The information that has been obtained, transmitted and divulged could, by the fact that if it comes into the hands of a foreign power, result in detriment to Sweden's security," the Prosecutor's Office said. Most parts of the criminal investigation are confidential, it said.

(Reporting by Johan Ahlander; editing by Anna Ringstrom and Angus MacSwan)

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