Sweden Intercepts Russian Aircraft Amid Baltic Tensions

A Russian military aircraft briefly violated Swedish airspace near Gotland, prompting Sweden to deploy two Gripen fighter jets. The incident highlights heightened Baltic tensions, especially as Sweden and its allies engage in naval exercises. Similar violations occurred earlier when Russian aircraft breached Swedish airspace in 2022.

A Russian military aircraft was met by Swedish fighter jets after it briefly violated Sweden's airspace east of the Baltic island of Gotland on Friday, the Nordic country's armed forces said on Saturday.

Two Gripen jets were sent up to meet the Russian plane, an SU-24, after it failed to respond to a radio warning by Sweden's military air traffic control, the Swedish armed forces said in a statement. "The Russian actions are not acceptable and show a lack of respect for our territorial integrity," Swedish air force chief Jonas Wikman said. "We followed the entire chain of events and were in place to intervene."

Friday's incident took place as Sweden - NATO's newest member - and several of its new allies take part in naval exercises in the Baltic Sea. The Swedish military said similar airspace violations by Russian aircraft last occurred in 2022 when two SU-27 and two SU-24 planes also made incursions near Gotland.

Sweden's neighbour Finland said separately on Friday it suspected that four Russian military planes had violated its airspace on June 10.

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