Russiske fly med atomvåpen innenfor svensk luftrom - Mail Online

 

Two Russian fighter jets that violated Swedish airspace earlier this month 'were equipped with NUKES with the aim of scaring Stockholm' after Putin had threatened military action if Sweden or Finland joined NATO

·        Four planes had taken off from Kaliningrad in Russia before flying over Sweden

·        The jets violated the country's airspace over the island of Gotland on March 2

·        Two of the aircraft - Sukhoi 24 attack planes - are now said to have carried nukes 

By LAURENCE DOLLIMORE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 16:57 BST, 30 March 2022 | UPDATED: 18:59 BST, 30 March 2022

 

Two Russian planes that violated Swedish airspace earlier this month were equipped with nuclear weapons, it has emerged. 

The flyover near the island of Gotland on March 2 was a deliberate act designed to intimidate Sweden, according to Swedish news channel TV4 Nyheterna.   

A total of four planes had taken off from the Russian air base of Kaliningrad. 

They consisted of two Sukhoi 24 attack planes, which were escorted by two Sukhoi 27 fighter jets. 

It was the two attack planes which were, according to TV4 Nyheter sources, equipped with nuclear weapons.   

 

Two Russian aircrafts SU 27 and two SU 24 are pictured after violating Swedish airspace east of Gotland, over the sea March 2, 2022. It has now been claimed two were armed with nuclear weapons 

 

·   Two Russian aircrafts SU 27 and two SU 24 are pictured after violating Swedish airspace east of Gotland 

The violation of Swedish territory lasted for about a minute. 

The country's air force deployed two JAS 39 Gripen which took pictures of the intruders. 

It was then, say Swedish media, that it was confirmed the Russian planes were equipped with nuclear warheads. 

'This is a signal to Sweden that we have nuclear weapons and we could also consider using them,' military strategic expert Stefan Ring told TV4 Nyheter.

'We assess it as a conscious action. Which is very serious especially as [Russia] is a warring country,' added Air Force Chief Carl-Johan Edström. 

'I can not rule out incorrect navigation, but everything indicates that it was a deliberate act. That they violated Sweden's borders.'  

The incident came days after Russian President Vladimir Putin had threatened military action against Sweden and neighboring Finland should either join NATO. 

The countries had been conducting joint military exercises at the time. 

·         

'In light of the current situation we are very concerned about the incident,' Swedish Mr Edstrom said following the incident. 

'This is unprofessional and irresponsible behavior from the Russian side.'

Swedish fighter jets were scrambled and took photographs of the Russian jets, the statement said. 

After the end of the Cold War, Sweden slashed military spending. It was only after Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 that parliament agreed on a turnaround.

Sweden reintroduced mandatory military service in 2017 and reopened its garrison on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea in January 2018.

In October, it bumped up defence spending by 40 percent with an extra 27 billion Swedish kronor ($2.8 billion, 2.5 billion euros) to be added to the defence budget from 2021 to 2025.

Sweden is not a NATO member, but cooperates closely with the alliance.

However, like in neighboring Finland, the debate around NATO membership has been reignited in recent weeks.

According to a poll by public broadcaster SVT in April, support for joining NATO is historically high in Sweden at 41 percent.