Finland and Sweden deployed fighter jets on Thursday in a first‑ever joint operation to track a group of Russian aircraft that entered international airspace over the Gulf of Finland. The Finnish Air Force confirmed that the squadron identified one transport plane and several fighters while monitoring their trajectory.
The Gulf of Finland, part of the wider Baltic Sea, has been on high alert since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with a spate of gas pipeline outages, airspace violations, and drone sightings raising tensions. Both countries, which joined NATO in 2023, have long maintained a policy of non‑alignment until recent security concerns forced a shift.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson posted on X that the operation showcased the effectiveness of the Quick Reaction Alert cooperation, describing it as a concrete expression of trust and strength within the Nordic‑Baltic‑NATO network. The Finnish Air Force echoed the sentiment, noting the operation’s role in safeguarding national airspace.
Russian embassies in Stockholm and Helsinki did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. Both nations plan to review the mission’s protocols and coordinate additional joint patrols to deter future incursions.