NATO Scrambles Fighter Jets To Intercept Russian Bombers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Sweden scrambled military aircraft in response to Russian fighter jets spotted over the southern parts of the Baltic Sea.
Swedish Armed forces spokesperson Mikael Ågren said two JAS Gripen planes were deployed over Skåne and Malmö in response to the Russian aircraft which did not violate the airspace of NATO's newest member.
The incident follows a series of Russian aircraft spotted flying in the region during NATO military exercises over the last two weeks and a warning by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul of further operations by Moscow to destabilize the region.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense ministry and the Swedish Armed Forces for comment.
This image from on April 8, 2025 a Swedish Air Force Saab JAS 39 Gripen jet fighter lands during the NATO's Ramstein Flag 2025 exercise at Leeuwarden Air Base.
This image from on April 8, 2025 a Swedish Air Force Saab JAS 39 Gripen jet fighter lands during the NATO's Ramstein Flag 2025 exercise at Leeuwarden Air Base.
JOHN THYS//Getty Images
Why It Matters
With Sweden's accession to the alliance, the Baltic Sea is dubbed a NATO Lake where members of the bloc surrounding the waters have reported a spike in Russian military activity. Sweden's deployment of aircraft is the latest sign of tensions in the Baltic region.
What To Know
Ågren said that Sweden's military deployed two JAS Gripen planes over Skåne and Malmö at 6:15 p.m. on Friday.
He said the operation was not part of a scheduled exercise and during a regular patrol by Swedish forces near the borders, Russian Sukhoi Su-30 planes were detected in international airspace.
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet said it had received calls from readers who had seen three Swedish fighter planes over the Stockholm region.
Ågren said that there had been increased activity in the region and sightings of military aircraft over the Baltic Sea have become more frequent in recent weeks.
But he said people should not be concerned is they hear Swedish planes in the sky because "it's the sound of freedom you hear."
The incident comes as NATO's Baltops-25 exercises were coming to an end in the Baltic region which involved over 40 ships, 25 aircraft and approximately 9,000 personnel.
During this period, there was a spike in Russian military flights operating close to NATO airspace and U.K. Royal Air Force Typhoon jets based in Poland were scrambled six times in as many days in response.
Meanwhile, video posted on social media showed a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet releasing flares over a U.S. Navy ship in international waters in the region.
What People Are Saying
Swedish Armed forces spokesperson Mikael Ågren: "It's a signal to show that we've seen them and that we're on our toes, even on Midsummer's Eve...Everything we do, we do for the sake of freedom.
"We need to keep track of which aircraft are in our vicinity, and then we need to go up and identify them sometimes. Today we did that and even got pictures of them."
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul: "These hybrid operations and military provocations are dangerous. They are designed to destabilize our societies and to test our ability to respond."
What Happens Next
Wadephul warned on Friday that the Baltic Sea region is becoming a dangerous hotspot where Russia's aggressive hybrid activities "are undermining our peace and security".
In anticipation of further Russian operations in the region, NATO announced in January the launch of Baltic Sentry to bolster the alliance's military presence in the Baltic Sea.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
24 minutes ago
Ukraine received at least 20 bodies of Russian soldiers in recent exchanges, Zelenskyy says
KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukraine's president said that Russia repatriated at least 20 of its own dead soldiers in recent exchanges with Ukraine, describing it as a result of Moscow's disorganization in carrying out large swaps of wounded POWs and remains of troops. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that an Israeli citizen was among the dead Ukraine had received in recent exchanges. He spoke to journalists on Friday but his comments were embargoed until Saturday. Officials did not disclose the identities of the bodies. 'They threw the corpses of their citizens at us. This is their attitude toward war, toward their soldiers. And this is already documented. Sometimes these bodies even have Russian passports,' he said. He said the Russian side insisted the dead were all Ukrainians. Journalists were shown a Russian passport and ID belonging to one of the 20 dead Russians. According to the document, the man came from the Moscow region. The exchanges of the dead and wounded soldiers are the only tangible result of direct peace talks in Istanbul. In June, Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers in a 6,000-for-6,000 format during the second round of negotiations. Ukraine was concerned that the number was too high and that the sides did not have enough time for forensic examinations and checking the identities of the dead. Zelenskyy said he suspected Russia's plan was to play along with peace talks to appease the U.S. and stave off more sanctions but without ending the war that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he is winning. He said that because of this, Ukraine would be 'in a really difficult situation' of deciding whether to continue the talks in Istanbul. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, because of its military partnership with Russia, but stopped short of expressing explicit support for Israel's strikes. He repeated that the new war in the Middle East will affect Ukraine indirectly. 'Iran gave the Russians everything to kill us. They gave them martyrs, they gave them missiles, and they gave them licenses. The fact that their production capacities have now become weaker is (a) positive for us. But at certain points it may already be too late,' he said, also citing Russia's military cooperation with North Korea. Russia has modified Iran-made Shahed drones and has used them, often hundreds at a time, in barrages targeting Ukraine. Zelenskyy said 39 Russian companies were involved in the production of Oreshnik, an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. He said 21 of them are not under sanctions. 'And therefore it is absolutely incomprehensible why sanctions should not be imposed urgently,' he said. Russia attacked Ukraine with the missile in November, marking a serious escalation in the war and Russia's capabilities. Zelenskyy dispelled reports that Patriots air defense systems were destroyed in recent Russian drone and missile barrages. He also said Ukraine has started using domestically produced interceptors to shoot down Shahed drones and is seeking financing from Germany to ramp up the weapon's production. He added he sent signals to Western partners asking them to give up 0.25% of their GDP to support Ukraine's local defense industry. Zelenskyy said it's likely he would attend a NATO summit later this week, but that he would make a final decision on Monday. Though Zelenskyy did not meet Trump who had left early the Group of Seven summit in Canada last week, Ukraine's Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and the head of the president's office, Andriy Yermak, gave U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent a list of weapons Ukraine is hoping to purchase. 'We will wait feedback,' Zelenskyy said, adding the package of weapons included Patriot systems. The weapons package would be among the topics Zelenskyy plans to discuss with Trump in their next meeting, he added, as well as the issue of sanctions. 'Frankly, it seems to me that we need to talk about a new breath in the diplomatic track,' he said. 'We need greater certainty and greater pressure from the world on Putin.'
Newsweek
28 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Vladimir Putin Issues Warning of New War
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ukraine risks renewed armed conflict in the future if it does not recognize the results of referenda ballots Moscow held in 2022 in four Ukrainian regions that Russia claims to have annexed, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Sky News Arabia. The Russian president said Kyiv should recognize the referenda denounced as shams that Moscow said cemented its claim in the oblasts of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk. Putin, meanwhile, illegally annexed Crimea in 2014. Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian foreign ministry for comment. Why It Matters In September 2022, Russia held a referenda on whether the regions Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts should be annexed by Russia after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February. Russia does not fully occupy the four regions and the ballots were condemned internationally as shams. Putin then signed a treaty on the accession to Russia of the regions. Ukraine is still fighting for these territories, but Putin's latest comments reiterate Moscow's red lines in any negotiations which because they are unacceptable to Kyiv, signal that a diplomatic solution to the war Moscow started remains distant. What To Know In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Putin warned Ukraine must recognize the 2022 referendum or face "opportunities for the resumption of armed conflict." He also said that Russia was allegedly close to reaching an agreement with Ukraine during talks in Istanbul in 2022 and he wanted the Ukrainian leadership "to be guided by national interests and not by the interests of third parties." Putin said long-term stability in the region required Ukraine to be neutral and refuse to join alliances and renouncing nuclear weapons. He also accused the West of using Ukraine as a "tool" against Russia and that the country "deserves a better fate than being a tool in the hands of external parties acting against Russia." His comments follow an address at this year's St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in which he said, "Ukraine is part of Russia," and that he considered Russians and Ukrainians to be "one people." In response to Putin's comment "where the foot of a Russian soldier steps, that is ours," Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday "wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, he brings along only death, destruction, and devastation." Putin's remarks cast doubt on the chances of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, especially with the Russian president saying he did not rule out taking control of the northeastern city of Sumy to create a border buffer zone. Putin's negotiator Vladimir Medinsky had warned Ukraine and Western allies earlier this month Russians will capture new territories if Ukraine did not agree to Moscow's conditions. As U.S. ceasefire proposals remain stalled, Yuriy Boyechko, CEO and founder of Hope for Ukraine, told Newsweek that the war can only stop if the Trump administration "finds enough courage to make Putin agree to at least 30 days ceasefire." Boyechko said as global attention focuses on the escalating Iran-Israel conflict, the war in Ukraine is entering a new phase. Following Monday night's assault by Russia on Ukraine—the deadliest in nearly a year, Boyechko said it Trump cannot rebuke the attacks and that the U.S. Senate should move forward with passing a bill sponsored by Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, with veto-proof majority and approve additional sanctions against Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the 28th Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum SPIEF 2025 on June 20 in Saint Petersburg. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the 28th Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum SPIEF 2025 on June 20 in Saint Petersburg. Getty Images What People Are Saying Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X in part on Friday in response to Putin's speech at SPIEF: "Putin's cynical statements demonstrate complete disdain for U.S. peace efforts. While the United States and the rest of the world have called for an immediate end to the killing, Russia's top war criminal discusses plans to seize more Ukrainian territory and kill more Ukrainians." He added: "Putin does not care about Russian soldiers or their feet torn apart by Ukrainian drones. He is a mass murderer of his own people. He already disposed one million Russian soldiers in a senseless bloodbath in Ukraine without achieving a single strategic goal. One million soldiers. Two million feet." The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, wrote on Friday: "Putin claimed that Russians and Ukrainians are one nation and all of Ukraine is effectively Russian as part of efforts to justify his continued conquest of Ukraine." It added in its latest assessment: "Putin's commitment to this narrative underscores his ongoing commitment to destroying the Ukrainian state and subjugating the Ukrainian people." What Happens Next? As the war continues to grind on, Putin's latest comments put the prospect of negotiations with Ukraine further away. The ISW said that Putin's recent rhetoric shows he thinks his forces are able to win a war of attrition via gradual advances and high losses.
The Hill
37 minutes ago
- The Hill
Ukraine received at least 20 bodies of Russian soldiers in recent exchanges, Zelenskyy says
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's president said that Russia repatriated at least 20 of its own dead soldiers in recent exchanges with Ukraine, describing it as a result of Moscow's disorganization in carrying out large swaps of wounded POWs and remains of troops. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that an Israeli citizen was among the dead Ukraine had received in recent exchanges. He spoke to journalists on Friday but his comments were embargoed until Saturday. Officials did not disclose the identities of the bodies. 'They threw the corpses of their citizens at us. This is their attitude toward war, toward their soldiers. And this is already documented. Sometimes these bodies even have Russian passports,' he said. He said the Russian side insisted the dead were all Ukrainians. Journalists were shown a Russian passport and ID belonging to one of the 20 dead Russians. According to the document, the man came from the Moscow region. Zelenskyy doubts Putin wants peace The exchanges of the dead and wounded soldiers are the only tangible result of direct peace talks in Istanbul. In June, Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers in a 6,000-for-6,000 format during the second round of negotiations. Ukraine was concerned that the number was too high and that the sides did not have enough time for forensic examinations and checking the identities of the dead. Zelenskyy said he suspected Russia's plan was to play along with peace talks to appease the U.S. and stave off more sanctions but without ending the war that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he is winning. He said that because of this, Ukraine would be 'in a really difficult situation' of deciding whether to continue the talks in Istanbul. Impact of Iran-Israel war on Ukraine Zelenskyy said Ukraine was against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, because of its military partnership with Russia, but stopped short of expressing explicit support for Israel's strikes. He repeated that the new war in the Middle East will affect Ukraine indirectly. 'Iran gave the Russians everything to kill us. They gave them martyrs, they gave them missiles, and they gave them licenses. The fact that their production capacities have now become weaker is (a) positive for us. But at certain points it may already be too late,' he said, also citing Russia's military cooperation with North Korea. Russia has modified Iran-made Shahed drones and has used them, often hundreds at a time, in barrages targeting Ukraine. Zelenskyy said 39 Russian companies were involved in the production of Oreshnik, an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. He said 21 of them are not under sanctions. 'And therefore it is absolutely incomprehensible why sanctions should not be imposed urgently,' he said. Russia attacked Ukraine with the missile in November, marking a serious escalation in the war and Russia's capabilities. Ukraine looks to Europe to boost domestic weapons Zelenskyy dispelled reports that Patriots air defense systems were destroyed in recent Russian drone and missile barrages. He also said Ukraine has started using domestically produced interceptors to shoot down Shahed drones and is seeking financing from Germany to ramp up the weapon's production. He added he sent signals to Western partners asking them to give up 0.25% of their GDP to support Ukraine's local defense industry. Zelenskyy said it's likely he would attend a NATO summit later this week, but that he would make a final decision on Monday. Though Zelenskyy did not meet Trump who had left early the Group of Seven summit in Canada last week, Ukraine's Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and the head of the president's office, Andriy Yermak, gave U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent a list of weapons Ukraine is hoping to purchase. 'We will wait feedback,' Zelenskyy said, adding the package of weapons included Patriot systems. The weapons package would be among the topics Zelenskyy plans to discuss with Trump in their next meeting, he added, as well as the issue of sanctions. 'Frankly, it seems to me that we need to talk about a new breath in the diplomatic track,' he said. 'We need greater certainty and greater pressure from the world on Putin.'
