Swedish and Finnish fighter jets intercept Russian military aircraft

The Finnish Air Force announced on Friday that Swedish and Finnish fighter jets were launched yesterday, Thursday, to intercept and identify Russian military aircraft in international airspace above the Gulf of Finland.

The air force stated in a statement that this mission was part of the wider Finnish-Swedish cooperation to monitor and protect the airspace of both countries, according to Reuters.

The statement added that the air forces of both countries tracked and identified a group of Russian aircraft, including a transport plane and several fighter jets.

Finland shares a border with Russia stretching approximately 1,340 kilometers, while the Russian Kola Peninsula hosts a critical component of Moscow’s nuclear deterrence, including the Northern Fleet and ballistic missile submarines.

European leaders recently met in the Finnish city of Rovaniemi to discuss ways to strengthen the European Union’s security and influence in the Arctic amid intensifying great power competition in the region.

The hosting of the summit by Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland, escalating Russian threats to Europe, and China’s efforts to establish a foothold in the Arctic.