Over 6,000 hectares of mountain forests in Sweden that were intended for protection have been cut down in just four years, according to a report by Ekot.

This deforestation has sparked outrage among environmental groups, with Ulf von Sydow from the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation calling it "terribly short-sighted.

" The forests, which stretch from northern Dalarna to Norrbotten, are known for their unique biodiversity and resilience against natural disasters.

A 2020 governmental report recommended protecting over 500,000 hectares of these forests, but only a fifth have received formal protection.

Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari attributed the deforestation to a timber shortage caused by the halt in timber imports from Russia.