Photo: Swedish Air Force via Getty Images
Swedish media is reporting that Russian bombers equipped with nuclear warheads crossed into Sweden's airspace earlier this month. Two Sukhoi 24 bombers and two Sukhoi 27 fighter jets took off from the Russian airbase of Kaliningrad.
When the four aircraft crossed into Swedish airspace near the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, the country deployed two JAS 39 Gripen jets to intercept the intruders and take photos. After reviewing the images, Swedish officials determined the Russian jets were carrying nuclear warheads.
"This is a signal to Sweden that we have nuclear weapons, and we could also consider using them," military strategic expert Stefan Ring told TV4 Nyheter in Sweden, according to the Daily Mail.
"We assess it as a conscious action. Which is very serious, especially as [Russia] is a warring country," added Air Force Chief Carl-Johan Edström. "I can not rule out incorrect navigation, but everything indicates that it was a deliberate act. That they violated Sweden's borders."
At the time of the incursion, Sweden was conducting military drills with Finland. It also came one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened military action against the two countries if they joined NATO.
According to a translation by The Sun, a former lieutenant colonel told Swedish news outlet Aftonbladet that the incident raised questions on whether Sweden should join NATO to help deter Russian aggression in the region.
"If you now have a weapon system that can carry nuclear weapons and do so, it is not an everyday event," Jörgen Elfving said. "Handling nuclear weapons is not done by anyone. It is not a routine event."