Updated 00.52 | Published 2024-04-09 22.42
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fullscreen The Russian spy plane was met by the Jas 39 Gripen and the German Luftwaffe. Photo: Swedish Armed Forces/Air Force
A Russian spy plane has been observed near Blekinge.
A Jas 39 Gripen and two German Luftwaffe fighters rose to meet the plane.
– We are in control and doing our job, says Therese Fagerstedt, press manager of the Swedish Armed Forces.
The Russian signals intelligence flight was observed in the Swedish flight information region southeast of Blekinge on Tuesday.
A Swedish Jas 39 Gripen plane went up to meet the plane. At the same time, two Eurofighters from the German Armed Forces took off.
– We have gone up and met a Russian IL-20 signal reconnaissance aircraft that flew into the Swedish air information region, says the Swedish Armed Forces’ press chief Therese Fagerstedt.
The German Luftwaffe states on X that it controlled the flight together with Sweden in the vicinity of Gotland.
The picture shows how a Jas 39 Gripen plane follows the Russian plane together with a German Eurofighter.
Therese Fagerstedt says that the Russian plane did not violate Swedish airspace.
– No, it is in our immediate area, but not in Swedish airspace.
How do you see what happened?
– It is not unusual to have foreign flights in the immediate area. There are many countries crowded around the Baltic Sea. It is not unusual that we choose to go up to visually identify, it is part of the aerial situation picture we need to have to keep track of the situation.
Should you be afraid?
– No absolutely not. On the contrary. We are in control We do our job and solve our task.