Sweden scrambles fighter jets to intercept Russia spy plane over Baltic Sea

Two Swedish fighter jets under NATO command were scrambled Thursday over the Baltic Sea to escort away a Russian reconnaissance plane that was approaching Polish airspace, Sweden’s armed forces said, marking at least the third time in about a week that Russian aircraft had been intercepted in the region.

“The plane was close to Polish airspace so we went up to signal our presence, make a visual identification and escort it out of the area,” Swedish air force spokeswoman Therese Akerstedt told AFP.

The Swedish jets, based in Malbork, Poland under NATO command, identified the aircraft as a Russian IL-20 Coot reconnaissance plane. The mission took place in international airspace, Swedish officials said.

NATO Air Command released images of the operation on social media.

Sweden joined NATO in March 2024.

The incident unfolded just days after  Britain said it had dispatched two of its fighter jets to intercept Russian warplanes over the Baltic Sea. Britain’s defense ministry said in a statement that Typhoon fighters were scrambled to intercept a Russian IL-20 Coot reconnaissance plane last Tuesday, and two days later, the jets intercepted an unknown aircraft leaving Kaliningrad air space.

“With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our Allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security,” Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said in a statement.

Tensions over the Baltic Sea have heightened since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.