Finland and Sweden on Friday (Sep 25) said that they had scrambled fighter ​jets to intercept and identify Russian military aircraft in international airspace over the Gulf of Finland. The operation marked the first such joint mission by the two Nordic nations. The Finnish Air Force said the two countries deployed Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft on Thursday (Sep 24) after Russian military planes were detected.The Russian detachment included a Tu-134 transport aircraft, along with MiG-31 and Su-30 fighter jets, according to the Finnish military. Finnish and Swedish aircraft tracked and identified the Russian group before completing the operation. The mission was described by Finland as the first joint operational “identification mission” conducted by the two air forces.<h2>Baltic Sea tensions remain high</h2>The operation comes as security concerns have intensified across the Baltic Sea region following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The region has witnessed incidents involving airspace violations, drone sightings and gas pipeline outages, prompting increased vigilance among NATO members.Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the joint operation demonstrated the level of coordination developed between the two countries.“It is a concrete expression of the readiness and trust we have built together – and an expression of the strength in the Nordic, Nordic-Baltic, and broader NATO cooperation in our part of the world,” Kristersson wrote on X.He added: “The Baltic Sea has never been as vulnerable as it is now – but it has also never been better protected than it is right now.”Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-testing-nato-again-mi-8-helicopter-breaches-polish-airspace-briefly-1790181515755">Russia testing NATO again? Mi-8 helicopter breaches Polish airspace briefly&nbsp;</a><h2>Russian Mi-8 helicopter breaches Polish airspace</h2>The incident happened a day after Poland said that a Russian military helicopter briefly violated its airspace on Wednesday (Sep 23). It added that in response, NATO fighter jets were scrambled, while ground forces remained on alert. Polish Army Operational Command said that the Mi-8 aircraft entered Polish airspace from the Russian ​exclave of Kaliningrad and stayed for 42 seconds. It penetrated the country’s airspace to a depth of about 300 metres (328 yards). The Mi-8 helicopter crossed into Polish airspace north of the town of Braniewo at around 11:08 am local time. Polish radar systems tracked its movement throughout the incident.

Finland and Sweden scrambled fighter jets to identify Russian military aircraft over the Gulf of Finland in their first joint operation, amid rising tensions and security concerns in the Baltic Sea.

Finland and Sweden on Friday (Sep 25) said that they had scrambled fighter jets to intercept and identify Russian military aircraft in international airspace over the Gulf of Finland. The operation marked the first such joint mission by the two Nordic nations. The Finnish Air Force said the two countries deployed Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft on Thursday (Sep 24) after Russian military planes were detected. The Russian detachment included a Tu-134 transport aircraft, along with MiG-31 and Su-30 fighter jets, according to the Finnish military. Finnish and Swedish aircraft tracked and identified the Russian group before completing the operation. The mission was described by Finland as the first joint operational “identification mission” conducted by the two air forces. Baltic Sea tensions remain high The operation comes as security concerns have intensified across the Baltic Sea region following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The region has witnessed incidents involving airspace violations, drone sightings and gas pipeline outages, prompting increased vigilance among NATO members. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the joint operation demonstrated the level of coordination developed between the two countries. “It is a concrete expression of the readiness and trust we have built together – and an expression of the strength in the Nordic, Nordic-Baltic, and broader NATO cooperation in our part of the world,” Kristersson wrote on X. He added: “The Baltic Sea has never been as vulnerable as it is now – but it has also never been better protected than it is right now.” Also read | Russia testing NATO again? Mi-8 helicopter breaches Polish airspace briefly Russian Mi-8 helicopter breaches Polish airspace The incident happened a day after Poland said that a Russian military helicopter briefly violated its airspace on Wednesday (Sep 23). It added that in response, NATO fighter jets were scrambled, while ground forces remained on alert. Polish Army Operational Command said that the Mi-8 aircraft entered Polish airspace from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and stayed for 42 seconds. It penetrated the country’s airspace to a depth of about 300 metres (328 yards). The Mi-8 helicopter crossed into Polish airspace north of the town of Braniewo at around 11:08 am local time. Polish radar systems tracked its movement throughout the incident.

Finland and Sweden scrambled fighter jets to identify Russian military aircraft over the Gulf of Finland in their first joint operation, amid rising tensions and security concerns in the Baltic Sea.

Russian warplanes trigger first Finland-Sweden joint operation in Baltic – What happened?

A Russian aircraft crashed into a residential building in southwestern Russia near the Ukrainian border, according to local reports.

The crew members flying the Sukhoi Su-34 managed to eject from the Russian military aircraft moments before it crashed, causing a massive fire to the building.

A video of the crash site went viral on social media, showing a major blaze engulfing the multi-storey building.

It is being said that the aircraft’s engine had failed midway and that both the pilots are safe.

Local media has reported a multiple number of fatalities and an unknown number of injured.

“Ambulances and firefighters are coming from all over the city, helicopters are in the area,” a resident told the state-run TASS news agency.

According to the Russian news agency RIA, the plane crashed during a training flight from a military airfield.

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More footage: <a href="https://t.co/mEaS9Ykvac">pic.twitter.com/mEaS9Ykvac</a>
— Faytuks News Δ (@Faytuks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Faytuks/status/1582034181365694464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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⚡️The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed that a Su-34 jet crashed while gaining altitude during a training flight in Yeysk, having taken off from one of Russia’s Southern Military District airfields. 
 
Video: eyewitness <a href="https://t.co/gV6stBlEaD">pic.twitter.com/gV6stBlEaD</a>
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“While climbing to perform a training flight from the military airfield of the southern military district, a Su-34 aircraft crashed. The cause of the crash of the aircraft was a fire in one of the engines during takeoff,” the Russian Defence Ministry statement said.

Interfax news agency reported, citing local emergencies ministry, that five floors of the apartment were on fire, the upper floors had collapsed, and about 45 apartments were damaged.

Meanwhile, a Russian investigative committee has announced a criminal investigation into the crash, saying “Military investigators are establishing the circumstances and causes of the incident.”

Yeysk is a port and a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the shore of the Sea of Azov, which separates southern Ukraine and southern Russia.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Russian aircraft crashed into a residential building in southwestern Russia near the Ukrainian border, according to local reports. The crew members flying the Sukhoi Su-34 managed to eject from the Russian military aircraft moments before it crashed, causing a massive fire to the building.

A Russian aircraft crashed into a residential building in southwestern Russia near the Ukrainian border, according to local reports. The crew members flying the Sukhoi Su-34 managed to eject from the Russian military aircraft moments before it crashed, causing a massive fire to the building. A video of the crash site went viral on social media, showing a major blaze engulfing the multi-storey building. It is being said that the aircraft’s engine had failed midway and that both the pilots are safe. Local media has reported a multiple number of fatalities and an unknown number of injured. “Ambulances and firefighters are coming from all over the city, helicopters are in the area,” a resident told the state-run TASS news agency. According to the Russian news agency RIA, the plane crashed during a training flight from a military airfield. More footage: pic.twitter.com/mEaS9Ykvac — Faytuks News Δ (@Faytuks) October 17, 2022 × ⚡️The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed that a Su-34 jet crashed while gaining altitude during a training flight in Yeysk, having taken off from one of Russia’s Southern Military District airfields. Video: eyewitness pic.twitter.com/gV6stBlEaD — The Insider (@InsiderEng) October 17, 2022 × “While climbing to perform a training flight from the military airfield of the southern military district, a Su-34 aircraft crashed. The cause of the crash of the aircraft was a fire in one of the engines during takeoff,” the Russian Defence Ministry statement said. Interfax news agency reported, citing local emergencies ministry, that five floors of the apartment were on fire, the upper floors had collapsed, and about 45 apartments were damaged. Meanwhile, a Russian investigative committee has announced a criminal investigation into the crash, saying “Military investigators are establishing the circumstances and causes of the incident.” Yeysk is a port and a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the shore of the Sea of Azov, which separates southern Ukraine and southern Russia. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Watch: Russian apartment in flames after military jet crash-lands

US F-22 fighter jets intercepted four Russian Tu-142 reconnaissance aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), on Saturday.

The latest intercept follows similar encounters earlier this month in which US F-22 jets intercepted Russian nuclear-capable bombers near Alaska on three separate occasions.

On Wednesday also, US F-22 fighter jets intercepted two Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft entering the Alaskan Zone.

NORAD forces have identified and intercepted Russian military aircraft including bombers, fighters, and maritime patrol aircraft on ten separate occasions when they have flown into the ADIZ.

US F-22 fighter jets intercepted four Russian Tu-142 reconnaissance aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), on Saturday. The latest intercept follows similar encounters earlier this month in which US F-22 jets intercepted Russian nuclear-capable bombers near Alaska on three separate occasions.

US F-22 fighter jets intercepted four Russian Tu-142 reconnaissance aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), on Saturday. The latest intercept follows similar encounters earlier this month in which US F-22 jets intercepted Russian nuclear-capable bombers near Alaska on three separate occasions. On Wednesday also, US F-22 fighter jets intercepted two Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft entering the Alaskan Zone. NORAD forces have identified and intercepted Russian military aircraft including bombers, fighters, and maritime patrol aircraft on ten separate occasions when they have flown into the ADIZ.

US fighter jets again intercept Russian military aircraft

Russia has seized three Ukrainian naval ships in a strait near <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-says-he-will-never-give-crimea-back-to-ukraine-35411">Moscow-annexed Crimea</a>, raising fears of military escalation and prompting an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday.

In the unprecedented incident, Russia said it used weapons "in order to stop the Ukrainian military," which it claims illegally entered its waters, confirming "three Ukrainian navy ships were boarded and searched."&nbsp;

Ukraine's navy said the incident took place on Sunday as two small warships and a tugboat were heading through the Kerch Strait, a narrow waterway that gives access to the Sea of Azov that is used by Ukraine and Russia.

It said a Russian border guard vessel rammed the tugboat in "openly aggressive actions" and then fired on the ships, immobilising all three.

The confrontation at sea is a dangerous development in the long-running conflict pitting Ukraine against Russia and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the escalation, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said. The meeting was requested by both Russia and Ukraine, diplomatic sources told AFP.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has asked parliament to vote Monday on whether to impose martial law on the country for 60 days, after his Military Cabinet recommended the move in a late-night meeting.

Throwing his weight behind the measure, which is far from guaranteed to pass, he said it "in no way means that Ukraine will carry out any offensive actions".

"I want to emphasise separately that we have all irrefutable evidence that this aggression, this attack on the Ukrainian Navy's warships was not a mistake, not an accident, but a deliberate action," he said in a statement.

Ukraine said six of its soldiers were injured, two seriously, but Russia's FSB security service reported only three had suffered non-life threatening injuries and were given medical treatment.

The development has sparked alarm among Kiev's Western allies.

"We expect Russia to restore freedom of passage at the Kerch strait and urge all to act with utmost restraint to de-escalate the situation immediately," the European Union said in a statement.

NATO also urged "restraint and de-escalation", and called on Russia "to ensure unhindered access to Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea, in accordance with international law".

Ukraine's foreign ministry said it considered "these aggressive actions" a violation of international law that would be met with "an international and diplomatic legal response".

Russia, which claims the waters off Crimea after annexing the peninsula in 2014, accused Kiev of illegally entering its waters.

"Having breached this morning the Russian border, the three Ukrainian ships -- the Berdyansk, the Nikopol and the Yani Kapu -- tried again on November 25 at 19:00 (Moscow time) to conduct illegal actions in Russian territorial waters," the FSB said.

The FSB, which oversees the border guard service, also said the Ukrainian ships had failed to respond to the "legal demands" of the Russian authorities.

Russian politicians accused Ukraine of acting at the behest of its Western allies and deliberately attempting to escalate the conflict.

Crimean leader Sergei Aksyonov wrote on Facebook that he "was sure the Western masters of the Kiev regime are behind this act of provocation".

Pyotr Tolstoy, deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, warned on Facebook that "the Ukrainian puppet authorities... Are risking unleashing a large military conflict".

"One thing is clear: Russia won't allow military provocations in its territorial waters," he said.

Ukraine said it gave Russia advance warning of its ships' route, which its vessels are obliged to take to reach the Sea of Azov.

It said the Kerch Strait was blocked by a tanker, and that Russian military aircraft were flying over the area.

The latest incident comes after the Ukrainian navy in September complained about "acts of provocation" by Russian border guards against its ships taking the same route. Ukraine has increased the number of its navy ships and border guard patrols in the Sea of Azov after Russia deployed five more warships there.

Kiev says its naval buildup is due to Russia stepping up controls in the area this year and carrying out lengthy checks on commercial shipping that were very costly for freight and port companies.

Kiev and the West have accused Moscow of deliberately blocking ships from accessing Mariupol, which has vital access to heavy industry in the region.

Mariupol is close to the region of eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed separatists in a conflict that has caused at least 10,000 deaths since 2014.

The United States, a key ally of Ukraine, is opposed to Russia's takeover of Crimea and is looking to reduce Ukraine's dependency on Russian gas pipelines.&nbsp;

Russia has seized three Ukrainian naval ships in a strait near Moscow-annexed Crimea, raising fears of military escalation and prompting an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday.

Russia has seized three Ukrainian naval ships in a strait near Moscow-annexed Crimea, raising fears of military escalation and prompting an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday. In the unprecedented incident, Russia said it used weapons "in order to stop the Ukrainian military," which it claims illegally entered its waters, confirming "three Ukrainian navy ships were boarded and searched." Ukraine's navy said the incident took place on Sunday as two small warships and a tugboat were heading through the Kerch Strait, a narrow waterway that gives access to the Sea of Azov that is used by Ukraine and Russia. It said a Russian border guard vessel rammed the tugboat in "openly aggressive actions" and then fired on the ships, immobilising all three. The confrontation at sea is a dangerous development in the long-running conflict pitting Ukraine against Russia and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country. The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the escalation, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said. The meeting was requested by both Russia and Ukraine, diplomatic sources told AFP. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has asked parliament to vote Monday on whether to impose martial law on the country for 60 days, after his Military Cabinet recommended the move in a late-night meeting. Throwing his weight behind the measure, which is far from guaranteed to pass, he said it "in no way means that Ukraine will carry out any offensive actions". "I want to emphasise separately that we have all irrefutable evidence that this aggression, this attack on the Ukrainian Navy's warships was not a mistake, not an accident, but a deliberate action," he said in a statement. Ukraine said six of its soldiers were injured, two seriously, but Russia's FSB security service reported only three had suffered non-life threatening injuries and were given medical treatment. The development has sparked alarm among Kiev's Western allies. "We expect Russia to restore freedom of passage at the Kerch strait and urge all to act with utmost restraint to de-escalate the situation immediately," the European Union said in a statement. NATO also urged "restraint and de-escalation", and called on Russia "to ensure unhindered access to Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea, in accordance with international law". Ukraine's foreign ministry said it considered "these aggressive actions" a violation of international law that would be met with "an international and diplomatic legal response". Russia, which claims the waters off Crimea after annexing the peninsula in 2014, accused Kiev of illegally entering its waters. "Having breached this morning the Russian border, the three Ukrainian ships -- the Berdyansk, the Nikopol and the Yani Kapu -- tried again on November 25 at 19:00 (Moscow time) to conduct illegal actions in Russian territorial waters," the FSB said. The FSB, which oversees the border guard service, also said the Ukrainian ships had failed to respond to the "legal demands" of the Russian authorities. Russian politicians accused Ukraine of acting at the behest of its Western allies and deliberately attempting to escalate the conflict. Crimean leader Sergei Aksyonov wrote on Facebook that he "was sure the Western masters of the Kiev regime are behind this act of provocation". Pyotr Tolstoy, deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, warned on Facebook that "the Ukrainian puppet authorities... Are risking unleashing a large military conflict". "One thing is clear: Russia won't allow military provocations in its territorial waters," he said. Ukraine said it gave Russia advance warning of its ships' route, which its vessels are obliged to take to reach the Sea of Azov. It said the Kerch Strait was blocked by a tanker, and that Russian military aircraft were flying over the area. The latest incident comes after the Ukrainian navy in September complained about "acts of provocation" by Russian border guards against its ships taking the same route. Ukraine has increased the number of its navy ships and border guard patrols in the Sea of Azov after Russia deployed five more warships there. Kiev says its naval buildup is due to Russia stepping up controls in the area this year and carrying out lengthy checks on commercial shipping that were very costly for freight and port companies. Kiev and the West have accused Moscow of deliberately blocking ships from accessing Mariupol, which has vital access to heavy industry in the region. Mariupol is close to the region of eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed separatists in a conflict that has caused at least 10,000 deaths since 2014. The United States, a key ally of Ukraine, is opposed to Russia's takeover of Crimea and is looking to reduce Ukraine's dependency on Russian gas pipelines.

Russia seizes three Ukrainian navy ships, raises fears of military escalation