The two Russian bombers that last March 2 violated the airspace of Sweden they would have worn nuclear weapons. The whole operation would also have been supported by Moscow with the clear aim of intimidating Stockholm. These are the latest rumors that emerged after thorough investigations into the episode and reported by the Swedish media.
The message from Moscow
The indiscretion was published by TV4 Nyheterna, citing its own sources. Violation of the airspace by the Russian side would have had the premeditated purpose scare Sweden, which at the time, along with Finland, sent ambiguous messages about possible accession to the Born. Two Su24 bombers with nuclear bombs would then fly over the island of Gotland, escorted by two Su27 aircraft.
The violation of Swedish airspace would have lasted about a minute. Stockholm’s reaction was immediate, which he defined on the occasion unacceptable the Russian violation of its airspace. “All of this is unacceptable and will lead to a firm diplomatic response from Sweden. Swedish sovereignty and territory must always be respected, Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist told TT news agency.
The plane, two attack aircraft Sukhoi 24 and two fighters Sukhoi 27, launched from the Russian base in Kaliningrad. The Swedish Air Force used two JAS 39 Gripen, which managed to shoot down a few photo the invaders. The signal from Moscow is clear enough: we have nuclear weapons and we might even consider using them against you. “We see it as a conscious action. This is very serious, especially because Russia is a country at war,” said Swedish Air Force Chief CarlJohan Edstrom.
Sweden in the Crosshairs
Therefore, an accident or a misunderstanding is excluded. The evidence gathered would indicate that it was one intentional act to all effects. In short, there would have been a Russian will to violate Swedish airspace and intimidate Stockholm. We also recall that the abovementioned overrun occurred a few days after the Russian President Wladimir Putin he had threatened military action against Sweden and neighboring Finland, which according to their announcements could soon join NATO.
After the end of the Cold War, Sweden reduced the military spending. Only after the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia in 2014 did parliament decide to turn around. Stockholm reintroduced the military service Compulsory and reopened in 2017 garrison on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea in January 2018.
In October, the Swedish government increased defense spending by 40% with an additional SEK 27 billion (US$2.8 billion, €2.5 billion) to boost the 20212025 defense budget. Finally, Sweden is not a member of NATO, but works closely with the Atlantic Alliance.