Drones Attack Russian Embassy in Sweden with Paint and Fake Explosive
Quick Look
- Two unidentified drones attacked the Russian Embassy in Sweden overnight, one dropping red paint and another a fake explosive device.
- The embassy condemned the incident as an overt attempt to intimidate its employees and criticized Swedish authorities for failing to protect the mission, warning of future consequences.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Russian Embassy in Sweden has reported a systematic campaign of attacks over the past two years, including multiple incidents involving paint-filled containers dropped by drones since May 2024, and a car ramming incident in January 2025.
Two unidentified drones attacked the Russian Embassy in Sweden overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, with one dropping a container of red paint and another falling near the building with a fake explosive device attached, diplomats have said.
In a statement on Thursday, the embassy said that the incident occurred at around 2 am local time, suggesting that the second drone crashed near the diplomatic compound and on the mission’s premises “not by accident.”
“The latter circumstance indicates that we are dealing not merely with a provocation, but with an overt attempt to intimidate employees of the Russian mission. To this we will say directly – it will not work”, the mission said.
The embassy went on to rebuke the Swedish authorities over what it described as a failure to stop a “systematic” campaign of attacks against the mission over the past two years. It noted that Sweden is obligated under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to protect foreign missions on its soil, but that police have only formally logged the incidents without making progress on “dozens” of unresolved cases.
“In light of this, it is the Swedish side that will bear the entire responsibility for any further attacks and their consequences,” the embassy warned. Officials in Stockholm have yet to respond.
The embassy has reported multiple incidents since May 2024, most involving paint-filled containers dropped by drones. In May 2025, after a pot of paint was dropped near the entrance, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova demanded that Stockholm “tame its ultras” while suggesting it might have “authorized” the attacks.
One of the most high-profile incidents took place in January 2025 when Swedish police arrested a Ukrainian national for ramming a car into the embassy’s gates. At the time, the embassy said the man was “well known” both to police and Russian diplomats because of his prior sabotage activities, while accusing local law enforcement of negligence.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Swedish side will bear entire responsibility for any further attacks and their consequences.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Who is responsible for the drone attacks?
- Why have Swedish police not made progress on previous cases?
- What specific measures will Swedish authorities take in response?
