Finnish and Swedish fighter jets scrambled together for the first time on Sept. 24 to intercept Russian military aircraft flying over the Gulf of Finland, a milestone in Nordic defense cooperation as tensions with Moscow continue to rise across NATO’s eastern flank.
According to the Swedish Armed Forces, Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and Swedish JAS 39 Gripens were scrambled after Russian aircraft entered international airspace. The Russian formation included a Tu-134 transport plane, a MiG-31 high-altitude supersonic interceptor built to detect and engage long-range threats, and Su-30 multirole fighter jets capable of both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.
Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman, commander of the Swedish Air Force, said the operation demonstrated the depth of cooperation between the two countries.
“This is what close cooperation looks like in practice. Built over years on trust and strong personal relationships, we can now operate seamlessly together — as air forces, as nations and as Allies.”
The joint scramble comes amid a string of airspace violations along NATO’s eastern flank, including Russian drones entering Polish airspace, a Mi-8 helicopter crossing from Kaliningrad into Poland, drones crashing in Romania and Moldova, and armed Russian jets entering Estonian airspace before NATO aircraft intercepted them on Sept. 18.
Estonia on edge
In Estonia, Defense Minister Martin Herem warned that Russia could be capable of using military force against his country within a year, and said Tallinn needs to determine whether its current defenses would be adequate. Prime Minister Kristen Michal has said the government is prepared to shut down border crossing points on short notice if threat assessments change, according to reports.
Estonia sits across the Gulf of Finland from Finland, and the two countries, along with Sweden, form part of NATO’s increasingly integrated northern and eastern defenses. Finland joined NATO in April 2023, roughly doubling the alliance’s land border with Russia, and Sweden followed in March 2024. Estonia has been a member since 2004.
Putin dismisses the warnings
One day before the joint scramble, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed European concerns about Moscow’s intentions at the St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum.
“Many people in Europe say they expect an attack from Russia and therefore claim they must prepare for war with Russia. I want to emphasize once again: we are not preparing for military action against Europe. We have no such plans, no basis for them, and, most importantly, no real motive to escalate the situation with Europe.”
Putin also mocked Herem’s warnings directly, according to EurAsia Daily.
“As we jokingly say in Russia: ‘The circus has left, but the clowns remain.’ It is political clowning. … Clearly, these statements are complete nonsense and absurdity.”
NATO’s response
The Baltic Sea region has remained on heightened alert following incidents involving gas pipelines, sabotage and hybrid threats since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Reuters has reported. NATO said in June that it is enhancing protection of its eastern members in the cyber and space domains while helping allied countries build resilience against hostile Russian actions, including cyberattacks, sabotage and airspace violations.
NATO says its activities along the eastern flank are purely defensive and has stated it is “ready, willing and able to defend every Ally,” warning that an attack on any member would be met with a “resounding response.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, speaking recently in Iowa, said Putin understands the alliance’s unity.
“Putin knows that the United States and Europe are totally intertwined. We have to make sure that we are prepared, we are strong, and he knows it. And if he does anything silly, he knows our reaction will be tough.”
European intelligence officials said on Sept. 24 that Russia could test NATO’s defenses. Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service assessed the risk of a limited Russian military attack against a NATO country in the coming months as “low but growing,” and said Moscow is expected to intensify its hybrid campaign against NATO and the West. The service said a full-scale Russian invasion of a NATO member remains highly unlikely but can no longer be ruled out.
