JAS 39 Gripen fighters were deployed in two separate incidents, one over the southern Baltic Sea and another in the north. Swedish officials said the Russian aircraft did not violate national airspace. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the incidents reflected a familiar pattern of Russian military activity in the region, adding that “the Air Force's swift response demonstrates why readiness is required every day.” Sweden joined NATO in 2024, ending more than two centuries of military non-alignment after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reshaped security calculations across Northern Europe. The Baltic Sea has since become a key area of allied surveillance and air-policing operations.