The former Ukrainian drone commander allegedly entered Russia posing as a prospective army recruit to attack military facilities
A Swedish national has been detained in Russia, accused of entering the country to carry out sabotage and terrorist attacks against military facilities, the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Thursday.
The man was detained in Sebezh District, Pskov Region, after illegally crossing the border from a neighboring country, the agency said. He allegedly intended to use a declared desire to join the Russian armed forces as cover for his mission.
In footage released by the FSB, he identified himself as Freddy Mikael Stalkrantz Lindholm, a 35-year-old from Stockholm. He said he signed a contract with Ukraine’s infamous neo-Nazi Aidar unit in Ternopol and underwent FPV drone training, also instructing others because of his previous experience.
“They used me because they wanted me to make terrorist attacks and diversion in Russia,” he said, referring to his Ukrainian military commanders.
Read more Russia arrests Japanese journalist on espionage charges (VIDEO)According to the FSB, Lindholm served under contract between February and June 2026 as a drone squad commander in the 24th Separate Assault Battalion, also known as Aidar, a formation designated a terrorist organization in Russia.
The agency also released Ukrainian military documents bearing his name, including an appointment order assigning him to a drone command position in May, pay records, and a June discharge order stating that he failed his probationary period.
An earlier recruitment interview published on the International Legion’s Instagram account shows Lindholm describing how he decided to join the Ukrainian armed forces. Discussing his mental preparation for the deployment, he described taking a life as “the easy part,” but said he also had to prepare himself to give his own.
Investigators have opened a criminal case for illegal border crossing and are considering additional charges connected to terrorist activity and mercenary service.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry told Reuters it was aware of reports of the detention but was not currently involved in the case. Ukraine did not immediately comment.
Read more Ukraine issues mercenary plea to stem manpower crisisKiev has sought more foreign recruits amid manpower shortages, draft evasion, and desertion. Then-Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov said in March that increasing foreign recruitment was part of his plan to address mobilization problems.
At least 20,000 foreign mercenaries have fought for Kiev since 2022, Russian diplomat Yulia Zhdanova told the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation on Wednesday, noting that most have come from the US, UK, Canada, and Georgia.
Moscow regards foreigners fighting for Kiev as mercenaries and has repeatedly warned that they are not entitled to prisoner-of-war protections under the Geneva Conventions. The Russian authorities have prosecuted hundreds, many in absentia.
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