Sweden bans installation of wind turbines due to Russian threat

The European Union's large-scale plans for green generation in the Baltics are under threat due to Russia. The Swedish Armed Forces have stated that wind turbines create obstacles for radar in the sky and at sea. But is it really?

In the context of the growing Russian military threat, the installation of wind turbines in the Baltic Sea leads to a decrease in the defense capabilities of Sweden and its NATO allies, the Swedish military has decided. After that, the Swedish government did not issue permits for the construction of 13 wind farms off the country's coast.

…wind turbines at sea cause radar echoes and create other technical obstacles that seriously interfere with the smooth operation of defense systems that monitor airspace and the situation under water

A report prepared by the Swedish army states that wind turbines at sea cause radar echoes and create other technical obstacles that seriously interfere with the smooth operation of defense systems that monitor airspace and the situation under water. This makes it harder to detect submarines and could halve the warning time of a missile attack from two minutes to one.

However, offshore wind farms are a problem not only for Sweden, but also for its European NATO allies. The Swedish Armed Forces explained in response to a request from AFP that they consider any wind farms in the Baltic Sea to be an “unacceptable risk.” Sweden's decision casts doubt on the European Union's ambitious plans to develop wind energy in the Baltic, which is set to become an important element of Europe's “green” energy mix.