Sweden scrambled military aircraft in response to Russian fighter jets spotted over the southern parts of the Baltic Sea.
Swedish Armed forces spokesperson Mikael Ågren said two JAS Gripen planes were deployed over Skåne and Malmö in response to the Russian aircraft which did not violate the airspace of NATO‘s newest member.
The incident follows a series of Russian aircraft spotted flying in the region during NATO military exercises over the last two weeks and a warning by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul of further operations by Moscow to destabilize the region.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense ministry and the Swedish Armed Forces for comment.
Why It Matters
With Sweden’s accession to the alliance, the Baltic Sea is dubbed a NATO Lake where members of the bloc surrounding the waters have reported a spike in Russian military activity. Sweden’s deployment of aircraft is the latest sign of tensions in the Baltic region.
What To Know
Ågren said that Sweden’s military deployed two JAS Gripen planes over Skåne and Malmö at 6:15 p.m. on Friday.
He said the operation was not part of a scheduled exercise and during a regular patrol by Swedish forces near the borders, Russian Sukhoi Su-30 planes were detected in international airspace.
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet said it had received calls from readers who had seen three Swedish fighter planes over the Stockholm region.
Ågren said that there had been increased activity in the region and sightings of military aircraft over the Baltic Sea have become more frequent in recent weeks.
But he said people should not be concerned is they hear Swedish planes in the sky because “it’s the sound of freedom you hear.”
The incident comes as NATO’s Baltops-25 exercises were coming to an end in the Baltic region which involved over 40 ships, 25 aircraft and approximately 9,000 personnel.
During this period, there was a spike in Russian military flights operating close to NATO airspace and U.K. Royal Air Force Typhoon jets based in Poland were scrambled six times in as many days in response.
Meanwhile, video posted on social media showed a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet releasing flares over a U.S. Navy ship in international waters in the region.
What People Are Saying
Swedish Armed forces spokesperson Mikael Ågren: “It’s a signal to show that we’ve seen them and that we’re on our toes, even on Midsummer’s Eve…Everything we do, we do for the sake of freedom.
“We need to keep track of which aircraft are in our vicinity, and then we need to go up and identify them sometimes. Today we did that and even got pictures of them.”
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul: “These hybrid operations and military provocations are dangerous. They are designed to destabilize our societies and to test our ability to respond.”
What Happens Next
Wadephul warned on Friday that the Baltic Sea region is becoming a dangerous hotspot where Russia’s aggressive hybrid activities “are undermining our peace and security”.
In anticipation of further Russian operations in the region, NATO announced in January the launch of Baltic Sentry to bolster the alliance’s military presence in the Baltic Sea.
The post NATO Scrambles Fighter Jets To Intercept Russian Bombers appeared first on Newsweek.
