THE Swedish military has resurrected their historic Cold War anti-ship missile system after it was disbanded 16 years ago in a desperate bid to increase its defences.
Stockholm has recently claimed Russian jets were flying near its strategic area
The Kustrobotbatteri 90 – previously displayed in a military museum – was the only launcher produced by the Swedish military and had the capacity to fire Saab Robotsystem (RBS) anti-ship missiles from the shore.
Sweden’s Defence Minister, Peter Hultqvist said increasing the country’s military capability was very much “needed”.
He said: “It is extremely good that we have land-based coastal missile systems back in our national defence.
“It means that we can shoot anti-ship missiles from land over great distance. It provides increased flexibility and capability in marine warfare.
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An older vs of Sweden's Saab historic missile
“It increases military capability and that’s something we need.”
The Rear Admiral, Thomas Engevall, said the military system will also be used for a “creative approach”.
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Swedish authorities allocated £557million last year to increase their defence capabilities
He told the Dagens Nyheter newspaper: “We analysed whether we would be able to put something back together again which was capable of launching it.
“A number of the trucks still remained. We took components from existing missile boats and warships which had the same missile system.”
Sources have claimed Sweden is growing its defence in response to Vladimir Putin's powerful presence in the Baltic Sea.
Stockholm has recently claimed Russian jets were flying near its strategic area and 150 troops were put on permanent service not too far from Russian territory in September this year.
Swedish authorities allocated £557million last year to increase their defence capabilities over increasing fears Russia is growing stronger in the Baltic Sea.
AN ALARMING signal Vladimir Putin is preparing for war has come after his top military chiefs revealed the Kremlin is deploying much-feared Iskander and S-400 long-range missile defence systems deep inside Europe.
Iskander missiles are nuclear-capable and the deployment to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad puts vast swathes of Europe in the crosshairs of Moscow's short-range ballistic missile programme.
With a range of roughly 300 miles, the Iskander missile could hit targets as far away as Berlin, Poland and Sweden with an atomic warhead.
Dubbed the 'Growler' by NATO, the S-400 is an anti-aircraft missile system that can cover short and long-range targets.
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Iskander missiles are nuclear-capable
Confirmation of the antagonistic move by Vladimir Putin's administration came from the head of the defence committee in the Russian upper house of parliament.
Viktor Ozerov told Russian news agency RIA the government saw the deployment of its missiles near the western border as a response to Washington setting up a US missile shield in Europe.
The development comes as Mr Putin hit out at the West for plans to increase Nato.
In an interview with Russian TV today, the leader said: "Why are we reacting to NATO expansion so emotionally? We are concerned by NATO's decision making.”
Relations between Russia and the West have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War in recent months.
Both sides have ramped up their defence spending, missile programmes and defensive shields as Europe enters what many observers believe is a new Cold War.
The Kremlin has often threatened to put nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad as a riposte to the shield, which is located in Romania.
Mikhail Barabanov, a senior research fellow at the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, which advises the Russian Defence Ministry, warned earlier this year it was "inevitable" that the Kremlin would deploy the missiles there permanently by 2019.
The Iskander, a mobile ballistic missile system codenamed SS-26 Stone by NATO, replaced the Soviet Scud missile and can carry conventional or nuclear warheads.
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The Iskander missile could hit targets as far away as Berlin
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Dubbed the ‘Growler’ by NATO, the S-400 is an anti-aircraft missile system
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Relations between Russia and the West have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War
Iskander missiles have been deployed twice by Russia on exercises in Kaliningrad - but on both occasions they are believed to have been withdrawn.
Commanders fear in a conflict Russia's significant military buildup in the province could block attempts by NATO to reach the Baltic states and north-eastern Poland.
Hundreds of British soldiers are heading to the region as part of a major operation by NATO to station high-readiness troops along the border with Russia.
Commenting on Russia's recent military deployments, both to the war in Syria and closer to home along the border with Europe, a senior NATO diplomat said: "Putin is showing a desire for dominance.
"From the Arctic, to the Baltic and the Black Sea, sometimes simultaneously, Russia wants to use sophisticated weaponry mixed with ships of a Soviet vintage."
NATO plans to send 4,000 troops, planes, tanks and artillery to former Soviet republics in the Baltics and to Poland next year.
But bosses at the Brussels-Based alliance believe there are around 330,000 Russian troops stationed near Moscow.
DONALD Trump could face a potential third world war if the US comes to the rescue of Baltic countries trying to escape from Russia’s clutches, an influential military expert has warned.
The US had been protecting the countries from any attack launched by Vladimir Putin amid heightened concern the maverick leader had plans to invade and restore them to Soviet control.
Now Professor Paul Miller warns the world could be facing the next great war - and hints Latvia will be first hit.
The respected defence expert from the National Defence University in Washington DC previously predicted the invasion of Crimea in 2014.
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The US had been protecting the countries from any attack launched by Vladimir Putin
He also successfully foretold of Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, which has now been ongoing for more than two years and eight months.
And now the professor believes Latvia could be next on Russia’s hit list - sparking a deadly conflict that will test the limits of conventional war fare.
He claims if Putin was to invade the country - which has a population of just two million people - he would do so by sparking civil unrest among ethnic Russians, who make up 25 per cent of the country.
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Russia began to invade Ukraine in 2014
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Many Baltic nations fear being attacked by Russia
Putin will instigate an ambiguous militarised crisis using deniable proxies, probably in the next two years.
Professor Paul Miller, defence expert
Professor Miller said: “He will not send large formations of uniformed Russian soldiers over the international border – even the most cautious NATO members will not ignore an overt conventional invasion.
“Instead, Putin will instigate an ambiguous militarised crisis using deniable proxies, probably in the next two years.
“Perhaps Russian-speaking Latvians or Estonians will begin rioting, protesting for their rights, claiming to be persecuted, asking for “international protection.
“A suspiciously well armed and well trained ‘Popular Front for the Liberation of the Russian Baltics’ will appear.
“A few high-profile assassinations and bombings bring the Baltics to the edge of civil war. A low-grade insurgency may emerge.”
The underhand technique, which normally aims to create a climax that then justifies military intervention, is said to have been used to seize Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
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Latvia could be first hit if Russia begins a takeover
Tensions among Crimeans with Russian heritage were whipped-up by Kremlin agents and, under a pretext of helping them, Russia then annexed the Black Sea nation.
And the same could be happening again.
Since all the Baltic nations are in NATO, an invasion from Russia would mean all fellow members would be forced to come to its rescue under Article Five of the alliance treaty.
And if the military organisation tries to go head-to-head with Russia in another Cold War style conflict, any invasion could even spark a third world war.
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The professor warned Putin would spark civil unrest among ethnic Russians
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Tensions among Crimeans with Russian heritage were whipped-up by Kremlin agents
The warning comes as strong-man Putin claims he will help to mend broken ties with a Trump-led America.
Speaking to the BBC Linas Linkevicius said: “The new administration doesn’t come in until the second part of January.
“I’m very afraid and concerned about this period not just because of the regions which are close to here but let’s hope that Aleppo is not smashed from the ground by then.”
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