An unidentified drone flew over the Russian embassy in Stockholm early on Friday, dropping paint on the grounds of the diplomatic compound, Swedish police said.
No arrests have been made and no suspects identified, a police spokesperson added.
Details Of Incident
“We insist that all incidents against the Russian embassy be thoroughly and impartially investigated and that the perpetrators be found and brought to justice,” Russia’s embassy in Sweden said in a statement.
The incident took place at night and was reported by embassy guards at around 2:15 am local time, as told by a Ukrainian news channel. The report said that the incident has been classified as vandalism, although it may not be an isolated case.
Similar Incident In Moscow
Investigators will look at whether the incident was in any way linked to a reported case of vandalism at Sweden’s embassy in Moscow on Thursday, according to the police spokesperson.
Following the Moscow incident, Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard urged Russia to ensure the protection of Sweden’s diplomatic mission and its staff.
A Swedish foreign ministry spokesperson said Sweden’s embassy in Moscow was in contact with Russian authorities over Friday’s incident in the Swedish capital.
“It is serious when a country’s embassy is subject to vandalism,” Stenergard said in an emailed statement on the incident in Stockholm.
“Swedish authorities are responsible for the embassy’s security and the police have initiated a preliminary investigation.”
Sweden Incidents
A few months ago, the Swedish police had cordoned off an area in Stockholm after a patrol heard suspected gunshots, with the Israeli embassy located in the closed-off area. Two explosions were then reported near the Israeli embassy in central Copenhagen in the same week.
Sweden’s security service Sapo had later said that Iran may have been involved in the explosions in Stockholm and Copenhagen, as mentioned in a BBC Report.
(with inputs from Reuters)
