It was on Friday afternoon that a Russian military aircraft of the SU-24 type violated Swedish airspace east of the southern tip of Gotland. The Russian aircraft was warned through verbal communication from Swedish air combat control. When this was not heeded and the aircraft did not deviate from its route, it was intercepted from Swedish airspace by a pair of JAS-39 Gripen.
– The Russian action is unacceptable and shows a lack of respect for our territorial integrity. We monitored the entire incident and were on site to intervene, says Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman.
The violation was brief. According to the Swedish Armed Forces' website, the last similar unauthorized flights by Russia occurred in 2022 when two Russian SU-27 and two Russian SU-24 violated Swedish airspace, also over Gotland.
Swedish Armed Forces' website