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UKRAINE

Sweden to help keep Ukraine’s power plants running in face of Russian attacks

A new Swedish aid package for Ukraine will help secure the country's energy supply as it defends itself against Russia's attacks.

Sweden to help keep Ukraine's power plants running in face of Russian attacks
Sweden's Foreign Aid Minister Johan Forsell. Photo: Lars Schröder/TT

“Access to energy is essential for Ukrainian society, the economy and businesses to continue to function,” Swedish Aid Minister Johan Forssell told reporters.

“Russia is increasingly focusing its attacks on Ukraine’s energy system in a bid to knock out important infrastructure. To boost Ukraine’s resilience, we are therefore increasing our aid for the energy sector,” he said.

Russian forces have recently been targeting Ukrainian regions and towns far from the front lines, using drones and guided missiles and focusing primarily on energy infrastructure to cause power outages.

The Swedish aid of 650 million kronor ($62 million) will primarily go toward generators, transformers and solar cells, Forssell said.

It will also be used for spare parts such as electrical switches, cables, pumps and pipes.

“The goal is simple: for power plants to be able to produce electricity,” Forssell said.

Last week, the Swedish government announced civilian and military aid worth 75 billion kronor over three years, from 2024 to 2026, to support Kyiv “as long as necessary.”

That brings Sweden’s overall aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022 to more than 100 billion kronor, making Kyiv the biggest recipient of Swedish aid.

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SWEDEN AND RUSSIA

Sweden says Russian bomber violated its airspace

A Russian SU-24 bomber violated Swedish airspace near the strategic Baltic Sea island of Gotland, leaving only after Sweden scrambled two JAS-39 fighter jets, Sweden's military said on Saturday.

Sweden says Russian bomber violated its airspace

The incident on Friday occurred three months after the Scandinavian country became a full member of NATO, dropping two centuries of military non-alliance.

“On Friday afternoon, a Russian SU-24 jet fighter violated Swedish airspace east of Gotland’s southern tip. The Swedish air combat command warned the Russian aircraft with a verbal call,” the Swedish armed forces said.

“When this was not heeded and the aircraft did not deviate from its route, it was dismissed from Swedish airspace by two JAS-39 Gripens,” it said.

The violation was “brief”, the military said.

“The Russian actions are not acceptable and demonstrate a lack of respect for our territorial integrity,” the head of Sweden’s air force, Jonas Wikman, said.

Gotland is located fewer than 350 kilometres (217 miles) from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Swedish military doctrine holds that whoever controls Gotland is able to broadly control air and naval movements in the Baltic Sea.

Sweden reopened its garrison on Gotland in 2018 after years of slashed military spending saw it close in 2004.

Russia’s unilateral annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 had prompted Sweden to start beefing up its military again.

Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 then led to Sweden’s historic decision to join the NATO military alliance.

The last time Russia violated Swedish airspace was in March 2022, when Swedish fighters intercepted two Su-24 and two Su-27 fighter jets over Gotland.

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