IT WAS as though the cold war had never ended. A hazy shape spotted by island residents in the southern Stockholm archipelago on October 17th quickly prompted suspicions of an incursion by a Russian submarine. The Swedish armed forces leapt into action, establishing a no-fly zone. The navy deployed fast-attack vessels (pictured), cordoning off a wide swath of water and forcing Swedish pleasure boaters seeking the last good autumn weather to leave. But after days of searching, the military is still not sure what, if anything, is out there.Although officially neutral and not a NATO member, Sweden is no stranger to Russian provocations. Besides the possible submarine, Russian planes have violated Swedish and Finnish airspace in recent months. Against the backdrop of Russian military intervention in Ukraine, Sweden, like other countries, is growing increasingly nervous about what Moscow might do next. Sweden's new government, a coalition of the Social Democratic and Green parties, took power only a few weeks ago. The submarine hunt is something of a baptism by fire for prime minister Stefan Lofven, who has been criticised for lacking international political experience.On Monday, in Helsinki for his first official foreign visit, Mr Lofven tried to calm the waters, cautioning the public not to jump to ...
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