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NATO holds subject drills amid increasing tensions
Two Swedish combatant jets nether NATO bid were scrambled Thursday implicit the Baltic Sea to escort distant a Russian reconnaissance level that was approaching Polish airspace, Sweden's equipped forces said, marking astatine slightest the 3rd clip successful astir a week that Russian craft had been intercepted successful the region.
"The level was adjacent to Polish airspace truthful we went up to awesome our presence, marque a ocular recognition and escort it retired of the area," Swedish aerial unit spokeswoman Therese Akerstedt told AFP.
The Swedish jets, based successful Malbork, Poland nether NATO command, identified the craft arsenic a Russian IL-20 Coot reconnaissance plane. The ngo took spot successful planetary airspace, Swedish officials said.
The armed forces released images of the cognition connected societal media.
Två svenska Jas 39 Gripen har genomfört det första skarpa uppdraget inom ramen för @NATO förstärkta incidentberedskap. Stridsflygen lyfte från basen one Polen och gjorde en visuell identifiering av ett ryskt signalspaningsflygplan av typen IL-20 Coot.#WeAreNATO#AirPolicing https://t.co/o6ZDdHaGb7
— Försvarsmakten (@Forsvarsmakten) April 24, 2025Sweden joined NATO successful March 2024.
The incidental unfolded conscionable days after Britain said it had dispatched 2 of its combatant jets to intercept Russian warplanes implicit the Baltic Sea. Britain's defence ministry said successful a statement that Typhoon fighters were scrambled to intercept a Russian IL-20 Coot reconnaissance level past Tuesday, and 2 days later, the jets intercepted an chartless craft leaving Kaliningrad aerial space.
"With Russian aggression increasing and information threats connected the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our Allies, deter adversaries and support our nationalist security," Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said successful a statement.
Tensions implicit the Baltic Sea person heightened since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine successful 2022.
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