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full screen Lieutenant General Michael Claesson will be the new ÖB on 1 October. Photo: Jessica Gow/TT
Michael Claesson is Sweden’s new ÖB.
He wants to put more focus on the Swedish military units – and warns that Russia can point its weapons directly at Sweden.
– It should not be ruled out that Russia would be prepared to challenge NATO, he says.
Michael Claesson takes over as commander-in-chief after Micael Bydén on 1 October.
It is happening in what is usually described as Sweden’s most serious security policy situation since the Second World War. The defense must now gear up, and quickly.
– I feel a very big responsibility and a clear demand for delivery, says Michael Claesson.
– My absolutely most important task will be to both maintain an operational level of activity, but in parallel also deliver on consolidating the war organization with what we have here and now.
Attacks with robots
Russia is the threat that Sweden must dimension its defense for.
– The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine frames everything we do, notes Claesson.
When Russia might be ready to go to war in places other than Ukraine, opinions are divided. Claesson thinks that the discussion about the number of years is “rather uninteresting”.
– What we have learned is that Russia is strategically unpredictable and extremely prone to risk.
For Sweden, he downplays the threat of a major ground invasion, and instead points to warfare with hybrid methods, such as cyber attacks and against the information environment.
But he also warns of something that has become clear not least in Ukraine: attacks with long-range robots against civilian targets.
– It is pure counter-terrorism, and we are definitely exposed to that part.
Can Russia direct that type of weapon at Sweden?
– Absolutely. In a situation with a pointed or escalated conflict, both between NATO and Russia, but also between individual countries or regionally.
Don’t want to be scared
Claesson emphasizes that he does not want to be frightened or “paint a horror scenario”.
– My representative has been very clear that war or a war-like situation can also arise in Sweden. What I am saying is rather a kind of interpretation of how it could look.
He says that the Swedish Armed Forces are prepared to deal with that type of threat.
Do we have air defenses so that is enough?
– If you look at it in some kind of mathematical coverage model, the answer is no. It is always about risk management. But perhaps the most important thing is that we are not alone, he says, referring to NATO.
“Must have an iron eye”
The government wants the new ÖB to strengthen the operational capacity of the military units.
– Our mission is to defend the country and allies against armed attack. There is no tense in this other than the ongoing form, that is, now. But sometimes, given the logic of defense decisions and long orientations of 5, 10, 12 years, we have had the ability to move the problems comfortably far into the future. I want to avoid that.
Claesson wants to “build freedom of action here and now”.
– We must keep a close eye on all personnel, equipment, infrastructure, the exercise and training status of our military units, and ultimately, the combat capability of our units.
FACTS
Michael Claesson is 59 years old. He was born in 1965 in Bankeryd.
Began his career in the Armed Forces 40 years ago when he enlisted as a conscript at Norrbotten’s armored battalion in Boden.
Has held a number of different positions and roles at different management levels. Among other things served in both Kosovo and Afghanistan.
Appointed in 2013 as brigadier general and in 2020 as lieutenant general.
Has also for several years served in Sweden’s delegation at NATO in Brussels.
Was most recently head of operations and then head of the Defense Staff, before he was appointed as the new ÖB by the government in June.
On a lighter note, it can be mentioned that Claesson likes to play the electric guitar in the band “Blöffes pågar”.
Read moreFACTSThree quick questions with new ÖB
Should the Swedish Armed Forces send fully trained conscripts to NATO operations abroad?
– It is a political issue to decide. To the reduced battalion in Latvia, we send in the initial rounds employed soldiers. Whether it is enough in the long term depends on the government’s level of ambition. Perhaps we will have to use a more manpower-friendly option later on, but which can still contribute to the kind of effects that NATO is looking for.
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Ukraine loses 30,000 drones a month. The Swedish defense reportedly has “dozens, soon hundreds”, of drones. Does Sweden have to get better at drones?
– Absolutely, a lot will happen in the coming years. At the same time, it is important not to just jump into conclusions that may be relevant enough for Ukraine – what seems logical today may not be as clear tomorrow.
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Can Sweden defend itself for more than a week? (In 2013, then ÖB Sverker Göranson stated that Sweden can only defend itself for a week in the event of an attack)
– Sverker started from a very specific situation. Combat capability is significantly better today than it was back then. At the same time, when we rewind the tape and see where we’ve come from, it’s a given that there’s still a lot to do.
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