The Swedish armed forces denied Sunday the allegation that a massive military search mounted to scour the waters off Stockholm is intended to hunt down a suspected Russian submarine.

The official military statement said it was conducting an intelligence operation following reports of an "alien underwater activity" involving a "foreign vessel."

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In an army mobilization reminiscent of the Cold War, Sweden deployed its armed forces Friday to large swathes of the Baltic Sea after the military intercepted what appears to be an emergency radio communication in Russian. A local newspaper, quoting unnamed sources, first published the report.

Swedish Rear Admiral Anders Grenstad denied the report on Sunday, saying the military has no intelligence of any intercepted messages indicating a Russian marine vessel in distress.

He said, however, that the Swedish waters are areas of interest to "foreign powers," BBC quoted the officer as saying.

A further radio interception from the enclave of Kaliningrad, the headquarters of the Russian Baltic Fleet, to a point in Stockholm was reported by the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper.

Late Sunday, Grenstad released a grainy photo showing a foreign vessel, which, according to a credible source, disappeared after a third sighting since Friday.

Reports of night troops searching for a mysterious man locals have seen wading toward the Island of Korso followed suit, The Guardian reported.

Grendstad denied speculations that the Swedish army is on a submarine hunt, but did not rule out the possibility of the operation turning into one.

Defense analysts cited in various reports said a Russian submarine might be monitoring the Swedish waters or might have been stranded underwater.

For its part, Moscow has denied that its navy is involved in any military operations in the area. The Russian Defense Ministry said there have been no emergency or extraordinary situations involving the Russian warships.

Russia's intervention in Ukraine, particularly after its annexation of Crimea earlier in the year, has fueled suspicion in countries straddling the Baltic region of Moscow's intentions toward its neighbors. Last week, Finland denounced Russia for harassing one of its environmental research ship stationed in international waters.

TagsWar Conflict, Military History of Sweden, submarine, Baltic Fleet, Swedish submarine incidents