On Thursday, the FSB announced the arrest of a 35‑year‑old Swedish citizen, Freddy Lindholm, in Russia’s western Pskov region near the Latvian and Belarusian borders.
The agency accused him of illegally crossing the border and plotting terrorist attacks and sabotage on behalf of Ukraine. He allegedly used FPV drones to target Russian military facilities, and the FSB says he posed as a member of the Russian Armed Forces to conceal his mission.
The FSB released a video of Lindholm’s confession, in which he identified himself as a Stockholm native and claimed a contract with the Ukrainian army’s Aidar Battalion in Ternopil. He also showed a copy of a contract signed with Ukraine’s defence ministry, which the state television broadcast.
Sweden’s foreign ministry said it was unaware of the arrest and is not currently involved, while Kyiv has not issued a statement. The case comes amid a broader campaign by President Vladimir Putin’s administration to crack down on foreign spies and saboteurs.
In recent weeks the FSB has detained other foreigners, including a Japanese journalist in the Far East, and the agency has warned against espionage activities. The case against Lindholm will be forwarded to prosecutors for further action.