Sweden is continuing a military operation off the coast of Stockholm looking for what is officially described as “foreign underwater activity”.<br /><br />More than 200 troops along with helicopters and mine sweepers are scouring the waters after reports that a Russian submarine might have had mechanical problems while on a secret mission in the area, possibly to replace old spy equipment.<br /><br />The Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday that there were no emergency situations in the Baltic involving its vessels.<br /><br />Swedish intelligence operators are understood to have intercepted an emergency radio conversation in Russian from a location in waters close to Stockholm and Kaliningrad, the home of Russia’s Baltic Sea fleet.<br /><br />The operation has brought back vivid memories of the final years of the Cold War when Sweden repeatedly hunted alleged Soviet submarines along its coasts with depth charges.<br /><br />One woman said: “We need to show that we are powerful when something that shouldn’t be in our waters is in our waters.”<br /><br />When asked what she thought about the military activity, she replied: “I am happy that the military are doing their job, as we need them”.
