The Swedish government has decided to establish a new civilian intelligence body — the Agency for Foreign Intelligence (Myndigheten för utrikes underrättelser). The new structure is set to begin operations on January 1, 2027.
Part of the functions of the Military Intelligence and Security Service (Militära underrättelse- och säkerhetstjänsten, MUST), a unit within the Swedish Armed Forces, will be transferred to the new agency, particularly in the field of foreign intelligence. In this way, the authorities aim to clearly separate military and foreign policy intelligence activities.
The agency will cooperate with the Swedish Security Service (Säkerhetspolisen, Säpo), the National Defence Radio Establishment (Försvarets radioanstalt, FRA), and the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten).
The head of MUST, T. Nilsson, supported the initiative. According to him, military intelligence is currently overstretched — primarily due to monitoring Russia, supporting Ukraine, developments in the Arctic, and Sweden’s adaptation to NATO membership. At the same time, he noted that increasing attention is required to China’s foreign policy, instability in Africa, conflicts in the Middle East, and the transformation of U.S. security strategy.
The creation of a separate foreign intelligence body indicates Sweden’s shift toward a more institutionally differentiated security model amid an expanding range of global threats. The decision is aimed at reducing the burden on military intelligence and improving the quality of strategic analysis.
