On December 17, 2024, NATO fighters from Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands intercepted and identified two Russian bombers Tu-22M3 ‘Backfire’ long-range bombers, escorted by Su-27 ‘Flanker’ fighters, over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea.
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The operation is part of the routine NATO air policing activities, and it was confirmed that the Russian aircraft were carrying inert supersonic cruise missiles, as verified by visual identification.
Coordinated Interception
During the mission, the Russian bombers were accompanied by Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighters, Finnish F-18, and Danish F-35 aircraft, demonstrating NATO’s quick and coordinated response capability in the region.
In response to the incident, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a video of the flight and issued an official statement:
“Two Tu-22M3 long-range bombers conducted a scheduled flight over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea. The escort was provided by the crews of the Su-30SM and Su-27 aircraft. The flight duration was over 5 hours. At certain stages of the route, the bombers were accompanied by fighter jets from foreign countries.”
The ministry emphasized that all flights of the Russian Aerospace Forces were conducted in strict compliance with international airspace rules.
Tension in the Region
The Baltic Sea has been a frequent theater for military operations, with exercises and patrols from both NATO and Russia. Interception episodes are common but highlight the escalating tension between Russia and NATO countries in one of the most geopolitically sensitive regions of the world.
Source and images: Russian Ministry of Defense / NATO / Flygvapnet. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.