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Sweden ends search for suspected Russia submarine

A week-long search for a suspected Russian submarine south of Stockholm has been called off, with Sweden's military declaring "the [vessel] that violated our waters has now left."

By JC Finley
Sweden's Navy has called of a search for a suspected Russian submarine south of Stockholm. (UPI/U.S. Navy/Patricia R. Totemeier)
Sweden's Navy has called of a search for a suspected Russian submarine south of Stockholm. (UPI/U.S. Navy/Patricia R. Totemeier)

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Sweden's military has called off a search for a suspected Russian submarine reportedly sighted south of Stockholm.

Rear Adm. Anders Grenstad told reporters, "We assess that the [vessel] that violated our waters has now left."

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A week-long search was launched after a radio transmission was intercepted between an object in the Stockholm archipelago -- an area that contains some 30,000 islands and inlets -- to Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.

Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported the distress call came from a Russian vessel, although Russia denied any of its naval vessels were involved in an "irregular situation, let alone emergency situation."

The incident evoked memories of the Cold War and vigilance with regard to Russia has been heightened in the wake of Russia's military incursion into Ukraine. In the past year, Russia has also been criticized for maneuvering warplanes into restricted air spaces, including in Colombia, Finland, Japan, Ukraine, and the United States.

Earlier this week, a frustrated senior commander, Gen. Sverker Goransson, told reporters, "This is very serious. I would even go so far as to say it's [expletive]ed up."

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