STOCKHOLM—Swedish prosecutors on Friday charged two brothers with carrying out serious espionage on behalf of Russia, saying the alleged crime could be detrimental to the security of the Nordic country. .
The 42-year-old and 35-year-old men have been in custody since last year and previously denied all allegations. Their attorneys were not immediately reachable for comment on Friday.
“This suspicion concerns a very serious criminal offense against the Swedish intelligence and security system. The crime is serious because it concerns a very important situation,” the Swedish prosecutor said in a statement.
The two men are suspected of providing classified information to the Russian intelligence agency GRU for 10 years starting in 2011. According to court documents, one of his brothers had served in the Swedish security police and army during that time.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office said: “Information obtained, transmitted or leaked could be detrimental to Sweden’s security if it falls into the hands of foreign powers.” Most parts of the criminal investigation are confidential, it said.
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