Swedish, Finnish fighter jets intercept Russian military aircraft
The first joint Finnish-Swedish identification mission tracked a Russian transport plane and several fighter jets as Nordic air patrols tighten.
- On Thursday, Finland and Sweden's Quick Reaction Alert fighter jets performed their first joint operational identification mission, intercepting Russian military aircraft over the Gulf of Finland.
- Both nations joined NATO in 2022, ending decades of military non-alignment to bolster regional defense against rising tensions and regular air incursions over the Baltic Sea.
- The Nordic jets tracked a detachment including a Tu-134 transport aircraft, MiG-31 fighter jets, and Su-30 fighter jets within international airspace, according to a Finnish Air Force statement.
- Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson commented on the operation, noting that "the Baltic Sea has never been as vulnerable as it is now- but it has also never been better protected than it is right now."
- Danish Defence Intelligence Service head Thomas Ahrenkiel warned of a "low but growing risk" of limited Russian military action, predicting Russia will intensify "hybrid attacks" to cripple critical societal functions.
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120 Articles
Again and again Russian fighter jets penetrate the airspace over the Baltic Sea. Now, for the first time, fighter jets from Finland and Sweden pick up together and catch several Russian machines. For the two relatively new allies, it is a premiere.
The Finnish military said that Swedish and Finnish aircraft were sent over the Gulf of Finland to intercept and identify Russian military aircraft. It was the first joint operation by Finnish and Swedish air defenses, during which a Russian transport plane and several fighter jets were tracked in international airspace, foreign news agencies reported.
Operation on the Baltic Sea is part of the new Nordic defence plan to protect NATO's eastern flank from the Moscow threat
The Nordic countries have begun to cooperate in air patrols in the face of increased Russian aggression. More information: 24 hours in the trenches with Ukrainian interceptors who can protect the skies of Europe from Russian drones
It was the first joint deployment of Finnish and Swedish fighter jets; it was used by Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea region was "never so endangered," said the Swedish head of government.
Finland, together with Sweden, conducted an operation to identify Russian military aircraft in international airspace over the Gulf of Finland, as described in a press release by the Finnish Air Force.
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