After Finland, which is investigating the alleged incursion of four Russian military planes above its territory on June 10, it is Sweden’s turn to denounce a violation of its airspace by Russia. And, obviously, it was serious.
Thus, on the afternoon of June 14, a Russian Su-24 “Fencer” aircraft was detected east of the southern tip of the strategic island of Gotland. [surnommée le « porte-avions de la Baltique »].
Swedish air defense then warned him, by radio, that he was committing an airspace violation. However, he did not take it into account and continued on the same course. Two JAS-39 Gripen then intervened, which forced him to turn around. This incursion was “short-lived,” said the Swedish general staff.
“Russian action is not acceptable and demonstrates a lack of respect for our territorial integrity. We followed the whole process and were there to intervene,” commented General Jonas Wikman, the commander of the Swedish Air Force.
According to a photograph published by the Swedish general staff, the plane in question is, a priori, a Su-24 MR, dedicated to reconnaissance missions. Probably he was monitoring the Baltops naval maneuvers, currently organized in the Baltic by NATO [dont la Suède fait partie depuis peu].
This violation of Swedish airspace came two weeks after Stockholm gave details of its sixteenth military aid package [et le plus important depuis février 2022] to Ukraine. As a reminder, this notably includes the sale of two Saab 340 AW&C airborne command and early warning aircraft.
This is not the first time that Sweden has denounced a violation of its airspace by Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine. Thus, in March 2022, two Su-27 “Flanker” fighters and two Su-24 “Fencer”, potentially armed, ventured into the Swedish sky, again near the island of Gotland. They had been intercepted by JAS-39 Gripen.
Photo: Svenska Flygvapnets
