As of: March 12, 2024, 11:20 a.m
By: Florian Naumann
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Press
Split
Sweden's NATO baptism of fire takes place over the Baltic Sea.
Meanwhile, in Stockholm there is an unfortunate incident – and a warning.
Stockholm/Berlin – Sweden has (still) been in NATO for less than a week.
The new member's air force has now experienced its first two missions as an alliance member, one of them in cooperation with the Bundeswehr.
The reason was Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea.
Meanwhile, when the NATO flag was raised in front of the military headquarters in Stockholm, a symbolically rather unfortunate but harmless incident occurred in front of the cameras: a soldier had to be carried past the scene of the incident and into the building.
Russia raises the alarm over the Baltic Sea: Sweden's first NATO mission - also with the Bundeswehr
“For the first time as a NATO member,” Swedish JAS-93 Gripen jets set off on protective flights over the Baltic Sea on Monday (March 11), the alliance said.
It was said that an “unidentified” flight track from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad to the Russian mainland appeared on the radar screens in the morning.
Along with Belgian F-16s, the Allies identified a “Russian Tu-134 that was not on the flight plan.”
Later, a Russian An-26 military aircraft triggered an operation from Sweden and German pilots from the Lielvarde base in Lithuania.
NATO wrote of the “first mission in the real world” for new member Sweden – and saw an “impressive demonstration” of cooperation.
Such operations are more or less day-to-day business.
The political scientist Gerhard Mangott classified Russia's actions over the Baltic Sea at
Ippen.Media
as "provocations" as early as 2023.
Legally they are “okay, but militarily and politically they are very risky.”
Among other things, Russia is testing NATO's operational readiness.
According to NATO information, the Bundeswehr has been involved in airspace surveillance from Lielvarde since March 1st - and has taken action for the second time.
Sweden's NATO ceremony: Soldier collapses - warning of "new Cold War"
Meanwhile, a symbolic act was on the agenda in Sweden: the Swedish army hoisted the NATO flag in front of its headquarters in Stockholm.
Television images showed soldiers carrying a comrade past the flagpoles.
Military representative Jan Ödman later presented the explanation to the TV station
SVT
: The man fell lengthways, probably because of the long time he had to stand while waiting for the ceremony to begin.
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Ceremony with obstacles: Sweden's military raised the NATO flag in front of its headquarters on Monday © IMAGO/Jessica Gow/TT
“Not everyone manages to stand for that long, things like that happen,” said the lieutenant general.
The soldier was conscious the entire time, but was taken to the hospital to be on the safe side.
Apparently several soldiers struggled with such problems.
“We had a few other cases, but those affected stood further back and were able to sit down,” Ödman explained.
A political appointment went smoothly: the conservative head of government Ulf Kristersson and his social democratic predecessor Magdalena Andersson appeared together in front of the press - and demonstrated unity in the face of NATO accession.
“We have different opinions on quite a lot of things in Swedish politics, but not on this issue,” Kristersson said.
“In times like this, you have to stick together,” emphasized Andersson: She warned of a “new Cold War” that is currently gaining traction.
(
fn
)