Russian fighter jets approached Stockholm and Karlskrona before turning away

Russian fighter jets flew toward the Stockholm archipelago and Karlskrona on Friday, turning back only hundreds of meters from Swedish territory, according to new details reported by Swedish public broadcaster SVT.

Swedish Armed Forces operations chief Ewa Skoog Haslum said the two incidents occurred close in time. In both cases, the Russian aircraft approached near Landsort in the Stockholm archipelago and off Karlskrona in Hanöbukten, Blekinge, before reversing course.

“The fact that they did this so spectacularly from the Russian side is remarkable and serious,” Skoog Haslum said.

Sweden’s air defense responded by scrambling Gripen fighter jets, which issued radio warnings to the Russian pilots. The Swedish Armed Forces view the flights as part of a coordinated operation.

“These are two separate incidents, but it’s interesting that they were carried out so clearly and in close succession,” Skoog Haslum added.

The purpose of the flights remains unclear, though the Swedish Armed Forces suggest they may have been testing Swedish readiness. The incidents are also seen as part of a broader pattern, with Russian warships and aircraft recently operating near ongoing NATO exercises Baltops and Ramstein Flag.

“There could be several purposes. One could be to test our preparedness. Are we paying attention?” Skoog Haslum said.