Sweden intercepts Russian fighter jets over Baltic Sea

Swedish and allied fighter jets were deployed twice on Friday to intercept Russian combat aircraft operating over the Baltic Sea. The Swedish Armed Forces reported that their JAS 39 Gripen jets, along with allied aircraft, acted quickly and decisively to meet and identify the Russian planes.

The incidents occurred in proximity to Swedish airspace, with one encounter in the southern Baltic Sea and another in the northern sector. While Swedish airspace was not violated, the Russian aircraft were identified as Su-24 and Su-34 models.

Vice Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum, head of the Swedish Armed Forces' operations command, issued a strong statement regarding the Russian actions. "Swedish and allied fighter jets acted quickly, resolutely, and clearly by meeting the Russian planes and securing Sweden's and the alliance's territory," she said. Haslum characterized the Russian behavior as serious and recurring, posing a threat to both Sweden's territorial integrity and its security.