Just a small comment about the brothers that have been arrested in Sweden. They were charged two weeks ago. They were arrested over a year ago (the older brother in September and the younger in November) and have been in detention since. I think the trial will start this week.
It would be interesting to see if Finland has also identified Russian intelligence officers active there, especially since Russia is not happy about their joining NATO.
For sure - and that's part of what makes it interesting. I have several questions, including why the Swedes didn't simply rely on a ground-based arrest team. Media reporting - which makes sense to me - indicates Swedish authorities were concerned about the destruction of evidence by the subjects within the residence. Was the setting such that they didn't feel confident they could get to whatever they wanted to seize before the subjects could? Was the helicopter team used in conjunction with a ground team to distract or confuse the ability of the subjects to understand and respond to what was happening? Were there items of interest closer to where a team could be inserted via helicopter vs trying to navigate through the property from a ground entry?
These brothers were at it a long time. I’d have been surprised if they didn’t have a plan A, B or C to implement in case of a raid. I don’t know anything about counterintelligence work or time to deploy from helicopters to doors, but agree with your conjectures that conditions surrounding the location, and not surprise, would have been the determining factor in use of the helicopters. But dang, Blackhawks are very loud. I can always hear them from inside the house, and then I have to go out and watch him.
 And an aside here, I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving! 
Swedish media is reporting that the other country that was spied on was the United States. The FBI is involved in the investigation. The man was doing industrial espionage for the GRU. https://www.dn.se/sverige/man-begard-haktad-for-grov-olovlig-underrattelseverksamhet/
Just a small comment about the brothers that have been arrested in Sweden. They were charged two weeks ago. They were arrested over a year ago (the older brother in September and the younger in November) and have been in detention since. I think the trial will start this week.
Thanks! Will update the article. Säpo’s been busy.
It would be interesting to see if Finland has also identified Russian intelligence officers active there, especially since Russia is not happy about their joining NATO.
More on the connection to the United States (via Google Translate) https://www-svt-se.translate.goog/nyheter/inrikes/ryska-natverket-bakom-misstankta-spionparets-bolag?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
Badass! But wouldn’t the targets have heard the helicopter(s) incoming?
For sure - and that's part of what makes it interesting. I have several questions, including why the Swedes didn't simply rely on a ground-based arrest team. Media reporting - which makes sense to me - indicates Swedish authorities were concerned about the destruction of evidence by the subjects within the residence. Was the setting such that they didn't feel confident they could get to whatever they wanted to seize before the subjects could? Was the helicopter team used in conjunction with a ground team to distract or confuse the ability of the subjects to understand and respond to what was happening? Were there items of interest closer to where a team could be inserted via helicopter vs trying to navigate through the property from a ground entry?
These brothers were at it a long time. I’d have been surprised if they didn’t have a plan A, B or C to implement in case of a raid. I don’t know anything about counterintelligence work or time to deploy from helicopters to doors, but agree with your conjectures that conditions surrounding the location, and not surprise, would have been the determining factor in use of the helicopters. But dang, Blackhawks are very loud. I can always hear them from inside the house, and then I have to go out and watch him.
 And an aside here, I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving!