A Russian plane violated Swedish airspace east of Gotland on Friday afternoon, according to the Swedish Armed Forces.
Swedish defense tried to make contact with the plane without success. The Russian plane was then intercepted by two Jas planes.
- The Russian action is not acceptable and shows a lack of respect for our territorial integrity. We followed the entire process and were on site to intervene, says Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman in a press release where the violation is also described as "short-lived".
Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M) must be informed of the violation, writes Expressen.
The last time Russia violated Swedish airspace was in 2022, also that time near Gotland. Russian airspace violation
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The Air Force: Went on for two minutes – five kilometers in
The Russian violation of Swedish airspace lasted for two minutes, says Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman to Expressen.
- The violation itself was a relatively short course, under two minutes and about five kilometers into Swedish territory, the air force chief told the newspaper.
The Russian plane, which according to the air force is a "reconnaissance version" of the SU-24 type, obeyed the rejection immediately when two Jas planes flew up next to the plane. If this had not been the case, the next step would have been to reject the plane in a more "abrupt" manner, according to Wikman.
The Russian violation of Swedish airspace lasted for two minutes, says Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman to Expressen.
- The violation itself was a relatively short course, under two minutes and about five kilometers into Swedish territory, the air force chief told the newspaper.
The Russian plane, which according to the air force is a "reconnaissance version" of the SU-24 type, obeyed the rejection immediately when two Jas planes flew up next to the plane. If this had not been the case, the next step would have been to reject the plane in a more "abrupt" manner, according to Wikman.
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Billström: The Foreign Ministry will summon the Russian ambassador
Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) announces that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will summon Russia's ambassador to Sweden after the violation of Swedish airspace, writes Expressen.
"The Russian behavior is unacceptable. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will call the Russian Embassy to mark the incident. We are in close contact with allies and partners about events in the immediate area," writes the foreign minister in a comment to TT and other media.
On Friday, a Russian plane violated Swedish airspace. The defense called in the Russian plane without success, and later repulsed it with the help of two Jas planes.
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Reactions to the Russian violation
Pål Jonson on Russia's violation: "Unacceptable"
Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M) calls Russia's violation of Swedish airspace both "unacceptable" and "unprofessional" in a post on X.
"It is good that the Swedish Armed Forces' incident response intervened and rejected the Russian warplane," he writes in the post.
The statement comes after a Russian plane violated Swedish airspace on Friday. The defense called in the Russian plane without success, and later repulsed it with the help of two Jas planes.
Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M) calls Russia's violation of Swedish airspace both "unacceptable" and "unprofessional" in a post on X.
"It is good that the Swedish Armed Forces' incident response intervened and rejected the Russian warplane," he writes in the post.
The statement comes after a Russian plane violated Swedish airspace on Friday. The defense called in the Russian plane without success, and later repulsed it with the help of two Jas planes.
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Experts: Neither coincidence nor mistake by Russia
That Russia violated Sweden's airspace is a signal from the Russians that they can "do as they please". This is what former lieutenant colonel Jörgen Elfving says to Expressen.
On the one hand, Russia's actions should be seen as a consequence of Swedish and Finnish NATO membership. On the other hand, the action could be a way for Russia to gain insight into Sweden's preparedness, Elfving believes.
Robert Dalsjö, defense policy expert at Total Defense's research institute FOI, is on the same line. He believes that the Russian violation was neither a coincidence nor a mistake, and draws connections to when Finnish airspace was violated a few days ago.
- It was the same pattern as in the mock attack against Sweden in 2013, the so-called Russian Easter. This is no carelessness and no accident. It is Russian signaling policy, where you want to show that you are dissatisfied, he tells TT.
That Russia violated Sweden's airspace is a signal from the Russians that they can "do as they please". This is what former lieutenant colonel Jörgen Elfving says to Expressen.
On the one hand, Russia's actions should be seen as a consequence of Swedish and Finnish NATO membership. On the other hand, the action could be a way for Russia to gain insight into Sweden's preparedness, Elfving believes.
Robert Dalsjö, defense policy expert at Total Defense's research institute FOI, is on the same line. He believes that the Russian violation was neither a coincidence nor a mistake, and draws connections to when Finnish airspace was violated a few days ago.
- It was the same pattern as in the mock attack against Sweden in 2013, the so-called Russian Easter. This is no carelessness and no accident. It is Russian signaling policy, where you want to show that you are dissatisfied, he tells TT.
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