Finnish and Swedish fighters intercept Russian planes in their first joint mission in the Baltic

Several fighters from the Finnish and Swedish air forces intercepted and identified a squadron of Russian warplanes over the Baltic Sea on Thursday, in the first joint mission of this type carried out by both Nordic countries, the Finnish Air Force reported this Friday in a statement.

The Russian squadron consisted of a Tu-134 transport plane and an unspecified number of MiG-31 and Su-30 fighters, which were intercepted while flying in international airspace over the Gulf of Finland, the Finnish air force said.

The identification mission, in which several Finnish F/A-18 Hornet and Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighters participated, was part of the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) service of both nations, whose objective is to guarantee the surveillance and protection of their territorial integrity.

Finland and Sweden agreed a month ago to strengthen their cooperation in air defense to strengthen security in the northern region and on NATO's eastern flank, given the increase in geopolitical tensions with Russia following the war in Ukraine.

“The increase in cooperation starting this fall allows for joint identification missions and makes it possible for fighters on rapid reaction alert to operate from the other country's air bases,” Colonel Vesa Mäntylä, deputy chief of the Finnish Air Force Command Staff, said in the statement.

"This is how close cooperation translates into practice. Thanks to years of trust and strong personal relationships, we can now operate together seamlessly as air forces, as nations and as allies," said General Jonas Wikman, commander of the Swedish Air Force.

Finland and Sweden, NATO's newest members, opted to leave behind decades of military neutrality following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and formally joined the Atlantic Alliance in 2023 and 2024, respectively.