Swedish Commander Says Russian Military Jets Fired Flares at Swedish Planes

Russian Su-27 firing flares, Aug. 11, 2007Sweden’s top military commander says Russian fighter pilots are behaving in an increasingly aggressive manner in northern Europe, flying dangerously close to Swedish Air Force jets and in some cases even releasing flares at them.

He [General Sverker Goransson] said examples include Russian planes breaking formation, flying at unsafe distances and using “countermeasures” that “nearly bounce off the metal” of the Swedish aircraft.

Image: Russian Su-27 firing flares, Aug. 11, 2007 (photo: Yuriy Lapitskiy)