Sweden Scrambles Gripen Jets to Escort Russian Submarine in Kattegat

Two Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighters scrambled to escort a Russian submarine in the Kattegat Strait, which connects the Baltic and North Seas.

This was reported by SVT.

According to Swedish Armed Forces press secretary Per Pilqvist, the military had tracked the Varshavyanka-class submarine, which was heading toward the Baltic Sea, well before the fighters were deployed on Friday, April 10.

“We are tracking everything in the Baltic Sea. This is an information chain in which we constantly exchange data with our allies,” he said.

He said the mission aimed to clarify the operational picture. During the escort, the aircraft conducted visual identification, took imagery and checked for any unusual features.

On Saturday, the Swedish Armed Forces continued the escort but did not disclose the submarine’s exact location. The operation was described as routine activity to ensure the territorial integrity of Sweden and its allies.

Under international law, Russia can operate in the international waters of the Kattegat and transit the Danish Straits. Other NATO countries are likely to take over the escort as the submarine moves into the Baltic Sea.

The Swedish military continues to monitor the situation and, according to Pilqvist, has a clear understanding of the routes and patterns of such submarine movements.

On April 12, Sweden detained the Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier Hui Yuan, which was en route from Russia to Las Palmas, Spain. Preliminary data suggests the vessel may have been dumping coal waste at sea, in violation of Sweden’s Environmental Protection Code.

In early April, the Swedish Coast Guard also detained the tanker Flora 1, which is under Ukrainian sanctions for transporting Russian oil.

Coast Guard officers boarded the vessel on the morning of April 3 while it was off the southern coast near the city of Ystad.

The ship was detained on suspicion of violating environmental regulations in connection with an oil spill east of Gotland in Sweden’s economic zone.