Swedish and Russian accounts diverge over Baltic Sea air incident

• Swedish Perspective: On Tuesday, Swedish Jas 39 Gripen jets intercepted and visually identified two Russian Tu-22 Backfire bombers escorted by two Su-27 Flanker fighters over the Baltic Sea. Finland’s F-18 Hornets initially responded in the Gulf of Finland, later replaced by NATO’s Dutch F-35 Lightning II under Air Policing operations. Swedish fighters then took over international airspace near Gotland, highlighting smooth coordination among NATO allies and Sweden’s bilateral defence collaborations.
• Russian Statement: According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, two Tu-22M3 bombers conducted a scheduled five-hour flight over neutral Baltic Sea waters, escorted by Su-30SM and Su-27 jets. The ministry emphasised adherence to international airspace regulations, stating that such flights are routine and occur over the Arctic, North Atlantic, Pacific, Black, and Baltic seas.

The incident underscores ongoing tensions in the region, with differing interpretations of military activities in shared airspace.