Two new Russian provocations

Warplanes buzzing Alaska 

Russian strategic nuclear bombers carried out air defense zone incursions near Alaska and across Northern Europe this week in the latest nuclear saber rattling by Moscow.

Six Russian aircraft, including two Bear H nuclear bombers, two MiG-31 fighter jets and two IL-78 refueling tankers were intercepted by F-22 fighters on Wednesday west and north of Alaska in air defense identification zones, said Navy Capt. Jeff A. Davis, a spokesman for the U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command. Two other Bears were intercepted by Canadian jets on Thursday.

“The group of Russian aircraft flew a loop south, returning westward toward Russia,” Davis told the Free Beacon.

A day later two more Bear bombers were intercepted by Canadian CF-18 jets in the western area of the Canadian air defense identification zone near the Beaufort Sea, north of Alaska, he said.

The Russian bombers did not enter U.S. airspace but flew within 63 miles of the Alaskan coast and 46 miles of the Canadian coastline, Davis said.
In both instances, the Russian bombers did not enter sovereign airspace, he added, noting the Russian aircraft flew within about 55 nautical miles of the Alaskan coastline, and within about 40 nautical miles of the Canadian coastline.

and Sweden

The Swedish Armed Forces confirmed on Friday afternoon that two Russian SU24 fighter-bombers had been detected flying over the country.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the planes passed through Swedish airspace to the south of Öland last Wednesday at lunchtime. The planes were one kilometre inside Swedish territory for about 30 seconds.

The Armed Forces had followed the planes' movements and knew where they were, said Gabor Nagy of the Swedish Air Force. The Foreign Ministry said the Russian Ambassador had been summoned so that Sweden could make a formal protest.

Foreign Minister Carl Bildt described the flights as "the most serious aerial incursion by the Russians during my years as foreign minister." Bildt has asked the Armed Forces for a full report into the incident.

Urban Ahlin, foreign affairs spokesman for the Social Democrats, who are expected to form Sweden’s next government, earlier also condemned the flights:

“Obviously we view this with concern,” he said. “If this information is true, it is one of the most serious violations we have seen,” he said in a statement before the incursions were confirmed.

The planes left Swedish airspace after a Swedish Gripen plane was scrambled to warn them off.

and a Lithuanian fishing vessel is detained in international waters and towed into Russian territory.

Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told reporters on September 19 that the ship, called "Juros Vilkas" (Sea Wolf), was detained for entering Russia's territorial waters but that the detention itself took place in international waters.

The crew consists of 28 people, including three Lithuanian citizens. The nationalities of the other crew members remain unknown.

Linkevicius said he had summoned the Russian ambassador to Vilnius for explanations, adding that a diplomatic note over the incident will be sent to Russia.

Remember that Russia captured an Estonian counterintelligence officer earlier this month on the border between those countries and wouldn't let  Estonian diplomatic staff visit him.

Such is a world with no moral leadership being offered by its erstwhile superpower.