Two Russian fighter jets that breached Swedish airspace earlier this month “were armed with NUKES.”

It has been revealed that two Russian jets that breached Swedish airspace earlier this month were armed with nuclear weapons.

According to Swedish news channel TV4 Nyheterna, the flyover near the island of Gotland on March 2 was a planned act intended to scare Sweden.

Four jets had taken off from the Russian air station in Kaliningrad.

They were comprised of two Sukhoi 24 assault planes accompanied by two Sukhoi 27 fighter fighters.

According to TV4 Nyheter sources, the two assault planes were armed with nuclear bombs.

The infringement on Swedish land lasted roughly a minute.

The country’s air force dispatched two JAS 39 Gripen aircraft to photograph the invaders.

According to Swedish media, it was then that it was verified that the Russian jets were equipped with nuclear weapons.

‘This is a warning to Sweden that we have nuclear weapons and would contemplate using them,’ military strategist Stefan Ring told TV4 Nyheter.

‘We consider that to be a deliberate activity.’ This is really dangerous, especially given that [Russia] is a belligerent country,’ stressed Air Force Chief Carl-Johan Edström.

‘I can’t rule out erroneous navigation, but everything points to it being a purposeful act.’ That they trespassed on Swedish territory.’

The event occurred only days after Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened Sweden and neighbouring Finland with military action if they did not join NATO.

At the time, the nations were participating in joint military drills.

Following the event, Swedish Mr Edstrom stated, ‘In view of the current scenario, we are quite worried by the occurrence.’

‘This is unprofessional and reckless action on the part of Russia.’

According to the statement, Swedish fighter fighters were scrambled and photographed the Russian jets.

Sweden reduced military spending after the Cold War ended. Only after Russia’s takeover of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 did parliament agree to a change.

Sweden reinstated mandatory military duty in 2017 and reactivated its garrison on the Baltic Sea island of Gotland in January 2018.

It increased defence expenditure by 40% in October, with an additional 27 billion Swedish kronor ($2.8 billion, 2.5 billion euros) added to the defence budget from 2021 to 2025.

Sweden is not a member of NATO, although it works closely with the organisation.

However, like in neighbouring Finland, the controversy over NATO membership has recently resurfaced.

According to an April survey conducted by Swedish public broadcaster SVT, support for NATO membership is at an all-time high of 41 percent.