The Swedish Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador over remarks about a former Swedish soldier who died in Ukraine
The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it would call a representative from the Russian embassy within the week to address the statements concerning Edward Selander Patrignani, a former member of the Swedish armed forces who died while serving in Ukraine.
Officials stated that the meeting was arranged to discuss the embassy’s commentary. Initially, the ministry had considered not summoning a diplomat, but later confirmed the action would take place next week. Viktor Tatarintsev is the current Russian Ambassador to Sweden.
The Russian mission later indicated that the ambassador had been summoned by the Swedish Foreign Ministry and noted that the purpose of the meeting was related to their prior comments. The embassy declined to comment on the meeting’s specifics when contacted by news agency TASS.
What the Russian embassy wrote
The Russian Embassy in Sweden posted a statement on the social platform on July 25. Swedish media coverage focused on Patrignani, a 28 year old who previously served in the Swedish Armed Forces and reportedly joined the Ukrainian forces. It was reported that he volunteered with the Ukrainian army.
The Russian embassy asserted that journalists portraying Patrignani in a positive light ignored the basic principles of journalism and painted him as a mercenary rather than a devoted officer. The post also stated that Patrignani had faced consequences he deserved under international law.
The commentary described foreigners participating in the fighting alongside the Ukrainian army as war fighters and warned that foreign soldiers who do not share Patrignani’s fate could face trial in areas controlled by the DPR and LPR. It suggested that mercenaries would face long prison terms or the death penalty in those regions if captured.
Reactions from Swedish political parties
Dagens Nyheter reported that all parties in the parliament urged the government to respond to the Russian embassy’s remarks. Liberal and Sweden Democrats lawmakers asked Foreign Minister Ann Linde whether Sweden would react publicly to the statements.
The diplomats’ remarks were described as pressure on Sweden and a challenge to the public’s support for Ukraine. A Liberal spokesperson called the comment part of Russia’s psychological pressure on Sweden and said it signals that Moscow regards Sweden as an adversary.
The embassy statement drew criticism from the center and left parties, including the Center Party, the Christian Democrats, and the Greens. A Sweden Democrats spokesperson argued that a private individual who fights for freedom and democracy deserved respect, and that the embassy’s words harmed the grieving family. The spokesperson advocated a firm stance against such messaging.
The Center Party emphasized that every Swede should be allowed to support Ukraine as they see fit. Moderates leader Tobias Bilström described criticizing the embassy as natural and suggested the government should address the issue of suspected spies from Russia in Sweden and pursue deportations more assertively.
Swedish media highlighted the embassy’s statements with headlines such as The Russian Embassy mocks the Swede who died in Ukraine. Relations between Sweden and Russia worsened after Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine, with Sweden expelling several Russian diplomats in April for alleged violations of the Vienna Convention. Russia subsequently declared three Swedish diplomats persona non grata as retaliation.
How Patrignani died in Ukraine
The Russian Defense Ministry reported the death on July 18, with confirmation provided to Politico by Ruslan Miroshnichenko, described as the commander of foreign fighters within the Ukrainian army. Swedish outlets later reported that the 28 year old lieutenant, who had earlier served in Uppsala, died near Kharkiv from chest injuries caused by fragmentation from a grenade.
In June, Russia stated that over 3,000 foreign mercenaries were fighting for Ukraine, with claims that mercenary training centers had been destroyed. On February 27, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the formation of an international legion that would comprise foreign volunteers. For attribution and background, see cited reports from Reuters and Nordic press archives.