World

According to report

Sweden is not a member of Nato but has been drawn closer to the bloc by the Ukraine war

March 30

Two Russian planes that flew through Swedish airspace at the beginning of the month were equipped with nuclear weapons, a Swedish television network has reported.

On 2 March, in the wake of Vladimir Putin ordering his forces to adopt a position of increased nuclear readiness, four planes flew into Swedish airspace near the island of Gotland in the Baltic.

According to TV4, two of the planes, Sukhoi 24s, were armed with nuclear weapons. These planes were escorted by Sukhoi 27 fighters.

Sweden is not a member of Nato but has been drawn closer to the bloc by the Ukraine war, attending meetings alongside other western leaders.

The Swedish air force, which was already operating at a heightened level of awareness due to the invasion, met the Russian planes and took reconnaissance photographs.

The incursion lasted around a minute.

The Swedish armed forces did not want to comment on whether the planes were equipped with nuclear weapons, but said the incursion in general was “a conscious action”, adding that it was “very serious”