For the second time this year, a Russian military aircraft turned off its transponders to avoid commercial radar and nearly collided with a passenger jet over Sweden, officials have revealed. Swedish authorities yesterday said a Russian military aircraft nearly collided above southern Sweden with a commercial passenger jet that had taken off on Friday from Copenhagen. Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist told a local radio station: 'This is serious. This is inappropriate. This is outright dangerous when you turn off the transponder.' For the second time this year, a Russian military aircraft turned off its transponders to avoid commercial radar and nearly collided with a passenger jet over Sweden, officials have revealed; pictured above is a Russian fighter jet which was spotted off the coast of Norway in 2007 . In October RAF Typhoon jets were scrambled to track this Russian Tu-95 Bear H bomber, one of two which flew close to Britain without filing flight plans or communicating with air traffic controllers. Some 26 intercepts were made in around 24 hours . Officials at Russia's Ministry of Defense in Moscow were not immediately available to comment. Sweden's air force chief, Major General Micael Byden, said the incident in international air space looked 'pretty serious,' adding the southern-bound commercial flight was immediately ordered to change course. Swedish fighter jets were sent up to identify the aircraft, and later confirmed it as a Russian intelligence plane. Media in Sweden and Denmark said the commercial plane was en route to Poland, but the carrier and the number of passengers it has on board has not been reported. Byden said this was not as serious as in March when a Russian plane flying without transponders came within 300 feet of an SAS plane that had taken off from Copenhagen. In recent months, Russia has increased its military presence in the Baltic Sea area, prompting some Swedish officials to compare it to the Cold War . In October, non-NATO Sweden launched its first submarine hunt since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Swedish authorities said a small, foreign submarine had entered its waters illegally but never found it and didn't disclose its nationality . In recent months, Russia has increased its military presence in the Baltic Sea area, prompting some Swedish officials to compare it to the Cold War. In October, non-NATO Sweden launched its first submarine hunt since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Swedish authorities said a small, foreign submarine had entered its waters illegally but never found it and didn't disclose its nationality. NATO has air patrols over the Baltic Sea and the continuous rotation of NATO military units in and out of countries such as the Baltic states and Poland.
The commercial flight was immediately ordered to change course .
Swedish fighter jets identified the plane as Russian intelligence plane .
In March a Russian plane came within 300 feet of an SAS plane .
And in October Sweden launched a hunt for a submarine in the Baltic Sea .
For the second time this year, a Russian military aircraft turned off its transponders to avoid commercial radar and nearly collided with a passenger jet over Sweden, officials have revealed. Swedish authorities yesterday said a Russian military aircraft nearly collided above southern Sweden with a commercial passenger jet that had taken off on Friday from Copenhagen. Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist told a local radio station: 'This is serious. This is inappropriate. This is outright dangerous when you turn off the transponder.' For the second time this year, a Russian military aircraft turned off its transponders to avoid commercial radar and nearly collided with a passenger jet over Sweden, officials have revealed; pictured above is a Russian fighter jet which was spotted off the coast of Norway in 2007 . In October RAF Typhoon jets were scrambled to track this Russian Tu-95 Bear H bomber, one of two which flew close to Britain without filing flight plans or communicating with air traffic controllers. Some 26 intercepts were made in around 24 hours . Officials at Russia's Ministry of Defense in Moscow were not immediately available to comment. Sweden's air force chief, Major General Micael Byden, said the incident in international air space looked 'pretty serious,' adding the southern-bound commercial flight was immediately ordered to change course. Swedish fighter jets were sent up to identify the aircraft, and later confirmed it as a Russian intelligence plane. Media in Sweden and Denmark said the commercial plane was en route to Poland, but the carrier and the number of passengers it has on board has not been reported. Byden said this was not as serious as in March when a Russian plane flying without transponders came within 300 feet of an SAS plane that had taken off from Copenhagen. In recent months, Russia has increased its military presence in the Baltic Sea area, prompting some Swedish officials to compare it to the Cold War . In October, non-NATO Sweden launched its first submarine hunt since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Swedish authorities said a small, foreign submarine had entered its waters illegally but never found it and didn't disclose its nationality . In recent months, Russia has increased its military presence in the Baltic Sea area, prompting some Swedish officials to compare it to the Cold War. In October, non-NATO Sweden launched its first submarine hunt since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Swedish authorities said a small, foreign submarine had entered its waters illegally but never found it and didn't disclose its nationality. NATO has air patrols over the Baltic Sea and the continuous rotation of NATO military units in and out of countries such as the Baltic states and Poland.
southern-bound commercial flight was immediately ordered to change course. Swedish fighter jets confirmed it as a Russian intelligence plane. transponders came within 300 feet of an SAS plane In October, non-NATO Sweden launched its first increased its military presence in the Baltic Sea