Sweden Sends Deadly Speedboats to Ukraine to Harass Russia at Sea

Sweden has been putting some massive points on the board lately with its Ukraine aid.

Just last week, Sweden announced a massive $1.23 billion package, the largest it has sent to date.

The latest round of support includes a generous supply of anti-tank weapons, long-range missile funding, and, most intriguingly, a fleet of lightning-fast Swedish combat boats—the Stridsbåt 90.

For those unfamiliar, the Stridsbåt 90, or CB90, is not your average Apocalypse Now-style river patrol boat. This high-speed assault craft is essentially the military equivalent of a sports car on water—except instead of sleek leather seats and a premium sound system, it boasts heavy armor, machine guns, and the ability to turn Russian patrol boats into smoldering wreckage.

The US military even operates two of these Swedish boats for riverine operations and special forces. Gotta love that Swedish engineering.

The aid package, announced by Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson, includes 1,500 TOW anti-tank missiles and 200 AT4 anti-tank weapons, among other battlefield necessities.

About $294 million worth of equipment comes straight from the Swedish armed forces’ own stocks. But what truly stands out is the doubling of CB90 combat boat donations from 16 to 32 units.

In addition to these weapons, Sweden is allocating around 5.9 billion kronor ($540 million) to purchase newly produced defense equipment from both Swedish and international manufacturers.

This funding will be directed towards Ukraine’s priority needs, including artillery, long-range strike capabilities, and drones—areas where Ukraine has repeatedly outmatched Russia’s outdated Soviet-era tactics.

“This is about strengthening Ukraine’s resilience in the long term,” Jonson stated, emphasizing that the aid package isn’t just about immediate battlefield needs but about sustaining Ukraine’s war effort into the future.

The package also includes a hefty $250 million contribution to international defense procurement funds, allowing Ukraine access to additional weaponry from allied countries.

Additionally, $71 million is earmarked for the repair and maintenance of previously donated equipment. Ukraine has already received Leopard 2 battle tanks, CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, and Archer artillery systems from Sweden, all of which require continued upkeep to remain effective in combat.

By investing in maintenance, Sweden is ensuring that its previous donations don’t just become static relics of war but continue to play an active role on the battlefield.

Sweden is also investing in Ukraine’s domestic defense production, allocating nearly $100 million for the development of Ukrainian long-range missiles and drones. This move ensures that Ukraine will eventually be able to produce high-tech weapons independently, reducing reliance on Western military aid in the long run.

This latest aid package brings Sweden’s total military support to Ukraine to nearly 62 billion kronor ($5.65 billion), making the Nordic nation one of the top six contributors to Kyiv’s war effort.

With an additional $71 million earmarked for the repair and maintenance of previously donated equipment, Sweden is making it abundantly clear that its support for Ukraine isn’t waning anytime soon.

Meet the CB90: Ukraine’s New Maritime Menace

The CB90 is a beast of a boat, designed for assault operations, reconnaissance, patrolling, and fire support. Originally developed for the Swedish Navy, it has since been adopted by Norway, Greece, Mexico, the United States, and now Ukraine.

Powered by two 600 kW diesel engines and twin water jet propulsion systems, the CB90 can hit speeds of up to 74 km/h (40 knots) while pulling off the kind of high-speed turns that would make a fighter pilot jealous.

This maneuverability makes it ideal for coastal combat, where quick reaction times can mean the difference between ambushing the enemy and becoming fish food.

But speed isn’t its only selling point. The CB90 can transport up to 21 fully-equipped soldiers and 4.5 tons of cargo, making it an amphibious assault powerhouse.

It can also be outfitted with an array of weaponry, including machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, anti-ship missiles, and even naval mines. In Ukraine’s hands, these boats won’t just be ferrying troops—they’ll be an integral part of disrupting Russian maritime operations in the Black Sea and beyond.

It’s highly likely we might even see a Vampire SAM system appear on some of these boats in the near future. Ukraine has just proven it can swat Russian cruise missiles out of the sky with these floating SAMs.

One of the CB90’s standout features is its shallow draft, allowing it to operate in coastal and riverine environments where larger warships would struggle. This makes it an ideal asset for Ukraine’s forces in the Dnipro River and other inland waterways, where it can rapidly deploy special operations teams, conduct surprise raids, and execute amphibious landings.

The boat’s hull is designed to withstand small-arms fire and shrapnel, offering better protection for crews and passengers compared to traditional patrol boats.

Additionally, the CB90’s ability to decelerate from full speed to a dead stop within two and a half boat lengths ensures unmatched agility in combat situations, allowing it to dodge incoming fire and rapidly change course.

The combat boat is also equipped with advanced navigation and communication systems, giving Ukrainian forces better situational awareness and coordination during maritime operations. Its modular design allows for modifications, meaning Ukraine could potentially outfit these boats with drone launch capabilities or advanced anti-ship missile systems in the future.

The CB90s are now part of Ukraine’s newly unveiled “Viking” maritime intelligence center, an elite unit tasked with conducting special operations at sea.

This deployment is yet another headache for Russia’s beleaguered Black Sea Fleet, which has already suffered catastrophic losses from Ukrainian drone attacks and long-range missile strikes.

With these high-speed assault boats in play, Ukraine can launch rapid-response missions against Russian naval forces, raid occupied territories, and provide direct fire support to amphibious operations.

These boats are particularly well-suited for ambushes and hit-and-run attacks, meaning that Russian patrols in the Black Sea and along the Dnipro River just became significantly more dangerous.

Russia’s own attempts at deploying similar vessels—the Raptor-class patrol boat—have met with, let’s just say, less-than-stellar results.

Multiple Russian Raptors have been turned into expensive artificial reefs by Ukrainian drone boats and anti-tank missiles. By contrast, the CB90s have proven their effectiveness in various naval operations worldwide and are battle-tested against asymmetric threats.

Beyond the hardware donations, Sweden is also investing in Ukraine’s ability to produce its own weapons. About $178 million from the aid package is being funneled into the Danish model of ordering arms from Ukraine’s defense industry, while another $250 million will go toward international defense procurement funds.

But the most intriguing investment? Sweden is allocating nearly $100 million toward the production of Ukrainian long-range missiles and drones.

This ensures that while Sweden provides immediate military aid, it’s also helping Ukraine build the domestic capacity to sustain its war effort over the long haul.

With this latest package, Sweden isn’t just giving Ukraine weapons—it’s making a statement. The decision to double the number of CB90s signals that Sweden sees Ukraine’s naval and special operations capabilities as critical to countering Russian aggression.

And given how effectively Ukraine has already neutralized parts of the Black Sea Fleet, Moscow now has another serious problem to deal with.

In the end, Sweden’s military aid isn’t just about providing Ukraine with weapons—it’s about giving Kyiv the tools to maintain the initiative on the battlefield. And if Russia thought it had headaches before, wait until Ukrainian special forces start using CB90s to turn the Black Sea into their personal hunting ground.

That’s it for today, friends.

Слава Україні! And good hunting.