- A Russian SU-24 aircraft invaded Swedish airspace over its Baltic island
- Friday’s incident in Gotland comes three months after Sweden joined NATO.
- Two JAS-39 Gripen fighters were shot down, forcing the bomber to turn around.
Swedish fighter jets were mobilized after a Russian bomber entered NATO airspace hours before world leaders met for a historic peace conference on Ukraine.
A Russian SU-24 aircraft invaded Swedish airspace over its strategic Baltic island of Gotland on Friday, three months after the country became a member of NATO.
The Swedish air force first warned the Russian pilot by radio, but the bomber did not deviate from its course.
Two JAS-39 Gripen fighters were then shot down, forcing the plane to turn around, the Swedish air force said.
The invasion was condemned by Swedish leaders as security experts said it could lead to a sudden escalation between Russia and NATO.
Two JAS-39 Gripen fighters were deployed on Friday after a Russian bomber entered NATO airspace hours before world leaders met for a historic peace conference on Ukraine (file photo)
A Russian SU-24 aircraft invaded Swedish airspace over its strategic Baltic island of Gotland on Friday, prompting the Swedish air force to deploy its fighter jets (file photo)
Analysts say the incident indicates that Russian President Vladimir Putin “does not want a nuclear war but does want to threaten NATO.”
“This Russian behavior is not acceptable and shows a lack of respect for our territorial integrity,” said Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman.
Professor Anthony Glees, a former security expert at Brunel University, said: “This is seriously dangerous.
‘Putin does not want a nuclear war but he does want to threaten NATO. But he could easily go wrong.
“One mistake on their part and NATO will respond in kind.”
Friday’s incident came a day after G7 leaders in Italy agreed to a £40bn loan to Ukraine over ten years, funded by the windfall interest Western governments have earned by freezing £219bn of assets. Russians since Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022.
On Saturday, world leaders from at least 90 countries met near the Swiss city of Lucerne to discuss how to bring lasting peace to Ukraine.
Among them were US Vice President Kamala Harris, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Rishi Sunak also flew to Lucerne immediately after attending Trooping the Color in Whitehall with the King.
In addition to the £40bn loan, Ms Harris revealed a further £1bn to help Ukraine rebuild its power stations and provide food to refugees.
Rishi Sunak was among world leaders from at least 90 countries who gathered near the Swiss city of Lucerne to discuss how to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine. In the photo: Sunak with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
But Russia was not allowed to attend and China did not send any representatives, dismissing the summit as “useless.”
Beijing had said such a meeting should also include Russia along with Ukraine.
Last week it was reported that Zelensky had urged the Chinese to attend, as their support for Russia has meant that Western attempts to isolate Putin’s regime have failed.
Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian deputy, said: “That’s a drawback.” It seems that China decided to support without limits its strategic partner, Russia, not the peace process: the aggressor, not the peace.’
President Zelensky opened the conference by saying: “We have managed to return to the world the idea that joint efforts can stop war and establish a just peace.”
In a bid to pre-empt the summit, Putin on Friday offered a peace plan in which Ukraine would cede at least five regions to Russia and abandon plans to join NATO.
But President Zelensky flatly rejected the offer on Saturday.