Sweden says Russian bomber violated its airspace

Stockholm: A Russian SU 24 bomber violated Swedish airspace near the strategic Baltic Sea island of Gotland, leaving only after Sweden scrambled two J...

Stockholm: A Russian SU-24 bomber violated Swedish airspace near the strategic Baltic Sea island of Gotland, leaving only after Sweden scrambled two JAS-39 fighter jets, Sweden's military said on Saturday.

The incident on Friday occurred three months after the Scandinavian country became a full member of NATO, dropping two centuries of military non-alliance.

"On Friday afternoon, a Russian SU-24 jet fighter violated Swedish airspace east of Gotland's southern tip. The Swedish air combat command warned the Russian aircraft with a verbal call," the Swedish armed forces said.

"When this was not heeded and the aircraft did not deviate from its route, it was dismissed from Swedish airspace by two JAS-39 Gripens," it said.

The violation was "brief", the military said.