To identify and monitor Russian aircraft operating in the southern and northern parts of the sea, the Swedish military scrambled two pairs of JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets. Stockholm said no direct violations of Swedish airspace were recorded during the incidents, but the country urgently reinforced its military presence in the region and adjusted its overall level of combat readiness in response to the heightened threat.
The Russian formation consisted of Su-24 frontline bombers and Su-34 fighter-bombers. As the aircraft approached the borders of European states, fighter jets from other NATO allies were also scrambled to support collective security efforts.
Vice Adm. Eva Skoog Haslum, head of Sweden's Joint Operations Command, said Russia's actions were serious and reflected a recurring pattern that threatens both Sweden's territorial integrity and broader European security.
Russian fighter jet incidents
On Sept. 19, 2025, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland without prior authorization and remained there for about 12 minutes.
A month later, Russian Su-30 fighter jets and an Il-78 aerial refueling aircraft penetrated approximately 700 meters into Lithuanian airspace from Kaliningrad Oblast, although Russia's Defense Ministry rejected the allegations.
On May 14, 2026, two Polish F-16 fighter jets successfully intercepted and escorted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea out of their area of responsibility. The aircraft was conducting an intelligence mission in international airspace without a filed flight plan and with its transponder switched off.
Later that month, Russian Su-27 and Su-35 fighter jets repeatedly intercepted an unarmed British Royal Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea in a manner that posed a direct threat to flight safety.