Nato jets intercept Russian spy plane over Sweden

Eurofighters identified an Ilyushin Il-20 aircraft flying over the Swedish island of Gotland

The Ilyushin Il-20 electronic signals intelligence (ELINT) aircraft was registered breaking into the Swedish flight information region close to the island of Gotland (X/@Team_Luftwaffe)

Nato scrambled fighter jets to intercept a Russian spy plane that had flown into Swedish airspace over the Baltic Sea.

The strategic island of Gotland, lying between Latvia and Sweden, has been described as a “giant aircraft carrier” with Russian TV regularly identifying it as a target if Moscow were to invade the Baltic states.

Two Eurofighter Typhoon jets flew out to identify the Russian Ilyushin Il-20 aircraft on Tuesday from an airbase near the German town of Laage after Nato Air Command said it was not responding to requests.

Eurofighter Typhoon jets (AP)

“A deployment of our alert squadron of the Tactical Air Force Wing 71 ‘’Richthofen’’ out of Laage. Together with our [Swedish] partners we checked a [Russian] reconnaissance aircraft at Gotland,” a post by the Luftwaffe read.

The Il-22 is used for both airborne command and control, and radio relay tasks, and has played an important role in controlling Russian forces in their war against Ukraine.

It is usually full of radar arrays and sensors to help other Russian forces spot weaknesses in their enemy’s defence networks.

Russian military aircraft regularly fly from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad and back, meaning that such encounters are fairly routine in the region.

US Troops on Gotland for training exercises (AP)

The incursion came a month after Sweden officially joined Nato – ending decades of post-Second World War neutrality to become the alliance’s second new member since Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine.

The ratification cements Nato’s presence in the Nordic region with all countries now members, and makes the Baltic essentially a “Nato sea” right on Vladimir Putin‘s doorstep.

Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson and US secretary of state Antony Blinken presided at a ceremony in which Sweden’s “instrument of accession” to the alliance was officially deposited at the State Department.

“This is a historic moment for Sweden. It’s historic for alliance. It’s history for the transatlantic relationship,” Mr Blinken said as he welcomed the 32nd country into the group. “Our Nato alliance is now stronger, larger than it’s ever been.”

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg described it as “a historic day,” adding: “After over 200 years of non-alignment Sweden now enjoys the protection granted under Article 5, the ultimate guarantee of Allies’ freedom and security”.