Sweden scrambles Gripen jets twice for Russian warplanes over Baltic

Swedish forces launched two separate scrambles of JAS 39 Gripen fighters on Friday after detecting Russian combat aircraft near Swedish airspace in the northern and southern Baltic Sea, state broadcaster SVT reports.

Incident response teams identified the planes as a Su-24 and a Su-34. Swedish crews intercepted and escorted the Russian aircraft until they were judged to be at an acceptable distance, then returned toward what authorities believe was Kaliningrad.

“We cannot speculate on why they were flying there, but we consider it very serious,” said Hanna Heurlin, a Swedish Armed Forces spokesperson. She added that the intercepts themselves serve as a signal, demonstrating presence and routine control of the airspace.

Swedish airspace was never violated, according to the Armed Forces. A Danish ally fighter also scrambled in the southern Baltic to help defend the shared airspace.

“The response is coordinated and resolute to secure alliance territory,” Heurlin said.