Yesterday, together with Finland and Sweden, we intercepted Russian planes equipped with hypersonic missiles over the Baltic Sea, said Ruben Brekelmans, Dutch Defense Minister on Wednesday.
The head of the Ministry of Defense about the bombers that flew near the Swedish Gotland Netherlands he wrote on his profile on the X platform. “Our F-35s demonstrate vigilance against threats from Russia every day,” we read in Brekelmans' post. “Maintaining security requires unwavering readiness,” he emphasized.
Dutch F-35s have been patrolling the eastern border since December NATO.
Russian planes over the Baltic Sea
The Swedish Armed Forces announced on Tuesday the identification of two Russian Tu-22 bombers (NATO code: Backfire), escorted by two Su-27 (Flanker) combat aircraft. As part of the intervention, two Jas Gripen fighters were raised. Earlier, in the Gulf of Finland, Russian aircraft were intercepted by Finnish F-18 (Hornet) aircraft and then tracked by a Dutch F-35 (Lightning II) fighter carrying out a NATO Air Policing mission.
According to Swedish military expert Joergen Elfving Russia may have wanted to show that the Baltic Sea is not NATO's internal sea. He added that the purpose of the Russian administration could also be to check the reaction of the party Sweden and allies. Moscow's planes eventually turned back without violating Swedish airspace.
Main photo source: X.com