Sweden said four Russian jet fighters violated its airspace the day after the country’s prime minister said her government will seek to boost the country’s military capabilities in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
Swedish military officials said the four fighters, two Russian SU-24s and two SU-27s, entered into Swedish airspace on Wednesday just east of the island of Gotland over the Baltic Sea.
A Swedish Jas 39 Gripen fighter tracked the incursion and took photographs of the Russian jets, which quickly left the area.
“This shows that our preparedness is good. We were on-site to ensure territorial integrity and Sweden’s borders,” Air Force Chief Maj. Gen. Carl-Johan Edstrom said in a statement. “We have full control of the situation.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has gone on for nearly a week, caused concern among nations such as Sweden that are in the shadow of Russia. On Tuesday, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said her government wants to increase the country’s military standing.
Like its neighbor, Finland, Sweden isn’t a member of NATO. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions have prompted a renewed debate over joining the alliance.
“In light of the current situation, we take the incident very seriously,” Maj. Gen. Edstrom said. “It is an unprofessional and irresponsible action on the part of Russia.”
In October, Sweden bumped up defense spending by nearly 40%, adding another $2.8 billion to the defense budget from 2021-2025, according to The Local, an English-language news website based in Sweden.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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