Swedish Ambassador Resigns After Gay Scandal

(MENAFN) A former Swedish ambassador to Ukraine was compelled to step down from a significant security position only hours after taking it up, following the release of explicit photos sourced from a gay dating app.

Tobias Thyberg resigned from his new position as Sweden’s national security adviser after explicit images from the Grindr app were circulated to both his political superiors and the media.

The incident has caused a stir within the newly-joined NATO member's political sphere, sparking concerns about the effectiveness of security checks and the possibility of foreign interference.

Thyberg, who held the role of Sweden’s ambassador to Ukraine from 2019 to 2023, was appointed to the position of national security adviser just before noon on Thursday, according to a timeline shared by a Swedish newspaper.

Less than 30 minutes later, an anonymous email containing explicit photos, believed to be of Thyberg, was sent to Premier Ulf Kristersson’s office.

The images, which were allegedly taken from an older Grindr account, were subsequently leaked to media outlets.

By midnight, Thyberg had notified the publication of his decision to forgo the position, confirming the leak of the photos.

“I should have informed about this but I didn’t,” he explained to the newspaper, referring to the images.

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