Sweden Says Russian Military Jet Violated Airspace
Date
6/15/2024 3:10:09 PM
(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Swedish fighter jets intercepted a Russian military aircraft
after it briefly violated Sweden's airspace on Friday east of the
Baltic island of Gotland, the Nordic country's armed forces said on
Saturday, Azernews reports.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom called the airspace
violation "unacceptable" and said officials from the Russian
Embassy in Stockholm would be summoned to his Ministry over the
incident.
"We are in close contact with allies and partners about the
events in our immediate area," Billstrom told Reuters in emailed
comments.
The Russian Embassy in Sweden did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
Sweden's armed forces said in a statement that Gripen jets were
sent up to intercept the Russian plane, an SU-24, after it failed
to respond to a radio warning by military air traffic
controllers.
Swedish air force chief Jonas Wikman said the incident showed a
lack of respect for Sweden's territorial integrity. "We followed
the entire chain of events and were in place to intervene," he
said.
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 violations by Russian aircraft
last occurred in 2022 when two SU-27 and two SU-24 planes also
violated its airspace 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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