Sweden says Russia hybrid threats make internal border checks necessary

COPENHAGEN, Nov 5 - Sweden said on Thursday that it will conduct targeted border checks in the next six months to prevent sabotage and other hybrid attacks by hostile actors linked to Russia, as European nations tighten security over the war in Ukraine.Suspected hybrid warfare on European soil has gained renewed attention after Germany blamed Russia in September for an attempted drone attack at an airport, while Estonia said Russian security services commissioned an arson attack on a defence group. Russia called both accusations baseless.Sweden, part of Europe's Schengen area that as a rule allows travel between member countries without routine controls, in the last decade introduced checks related to illegal migration and organised crime, but is now tying its effort directly to Russia."Russia's full-scale invasion and ongoing aggression against Ukraine means we are in a serious security situation. This concerns, among other things, an increased sabotage threat against Sweden and other EU member states," Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said in a written comment to Reuters.The Kremlin denies any links to hybrid attacks in Europe, calling the accusations unfounded. The Russian embassy in Stockholm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Sweden's justice ministry in a statement said that so-called internal border checks were necessary to counter threats and "hostile actors who have moved and operated within the Schengen area".In a decision in May this year, the Swedish government said it would conduct border checks based, among other things, on serious cross-border crime with links to state actors and terrorism, without naming any countries.Several other Schengen members, including France, Germany, Norway and Denmark, also have internal border controls, the Swedish government said in a statement. REUTERS