Finnish jets scrambled to intercept Russian planes

Tensions along the European Union border with Russia are high and increasing. Yesterday, the Finish Air Force had to scramble two jets over the Gulf of Finland after two Russian aircraft entered Finland's airspace without permission.

The information was confirmed by the Finnish Defence Ministry. “An airspace violation has been confirmed off the coast near Porvoo. A Russian state aircraft entered Finnish airspace after 6 P.M,” said Max Arhippainen, communications director of the Finnish Ministry of Defence, for Yle.fi.

The Russian planes entered Finnish air space within two hours of each other and they were not commercial aircraft. Finnish fighter jets were scrambled to carry out a reconnaissance flight over the Gulf of Finland where the intrusion happened.

People living in Eastern Uusimaa could hear the sonic boom created by the Finnish jets. The Finnish Air Force (Ilmavoimat) is operating about 60 McDonnell Douglass F/A-18 Hornet jets. The American designed replaced the old MiG-21 and Saab 35 Draken used by Finnish Air Force in 1995. Finland and Russia share a common 1,300 kilometer land border.