The Russian embassy hangs a Swedish soldier – and threatens others • Johan Fredriksson: “Tragic”
“In Sweden it is considered honorable to be a murderer”.
This is how the Russian Embassy in Stockholm begins the post published on Facebook. There, a Swedish man is hanged with his name and age, after having participated in an interview in Svenska Dagbladet. His name is not mentioned there, but he is mentioned under the alias he used as a volunteer soldier in Ukraine: Hufsa.
But in the embassy he is described as a mercenary who fights alongside “the Nazi Kiev regime” who “heroically murders Russians”.
“Will get what you deserve”
The post also warns other Swedes who join the front in Ukraine.
“We would once again like to remind all those who want to follow in his footsteps and become complicit in the criminal acts of the Kiev regime that Russia will definitely find out about you, and you will mandatorily get what you deserve for your atrocities.”
TV4 Nyheterna’s foreign correspondent Johan Fredriksson says that the tone of voice from the Russian embassies has changed.
– In recent years, several of Russia’s embassies have not only become tiresome propaganda platforms in Putin’s service, but have fallen into what more and more appears to be pure gangster fashion.
He further says that the embassy in Stockholm also violates “all norms and accepted conditions in diplomacy” with the post.
– It is tragic but not unexpected.
Paasikivi: Further steps in Russia’s rhetoric
In the embassy’s post there is also a list of 12 Swedish media, with a call to “stop paying homage to neo-Nazis”. Joakim Paasikivi, former lieutenant colonel, describes the embassy’s methods as “another step in Russia’s loud rhetoric”.
– It is part of Russia’s attempt to portray everyone who fights on Ukraine’s side, or just supports Ukraine, as fascists, Nazis and puppets, he says.
According to Paasikivi, painting volunteer soldiers as mercenaries and Nazis is a common occurrence – and above all a wrong under international law.
– The Russian definition of Nazism is nowadays anyone who does not agree with Russia.
TV4 Nyheterna has searched the Russian embassy.