Swedish Air Force JAS-39 Gripen fighters intercepted four Russian fighter jets, which violated their airspace, near the island of Gotland.
The official Swedish Armed Forces website reported that the incident took place on March 2, when two Su-27 Flanker air superiority fighters and two Su-24 Fencer attack aircraft (according to NATO codes) of the Russian Air Force entered Swedish sovereign airspace.
The incident was brief and took place east of Gotland, over the high seas. Raiders were quickly intercepted by JAS-39 Gripen C fighters of the rapid reaction unit, which documented and photographed the incident.
“This shows that our preparedness is good. We are in place to secure Sweden’s borders and territorial integrity. We are in full control of the situation,” says Air Force Commander Carl-Johan Edström.
“With the current situation as a backdrop, we take this incident very seriously. Russia’s conduct is unprofessional and irresponsible,” says Air Force Commander Edström.
The incident with the Russian fighter jets can be understood as a threat by the Kremlin to dissuade Sweden from joining NATO, and also as a response to the dispatch of Swedish weapons and supplies to strengthen the Ukrainian Army’s resistance capability.
