FINLAND, Helsinki: Finland Suspects Russian Airspace Violation

This handout picture from the Finnish Air Force taken Thursday shows a Russian AN-72 transport plane, taken by a Finnish aircraft pilot. Finland's Defense Ministry said it suspects a Russian military aircraft on Thursday violated Finnish airspace — the third such incident in six days. Ministry spokesman Max Arhippainen told The Associated Press that a Russian AN-72 transport plane is believed to have crossed into the Nordic country's airspace over the Gulf of Finland for a few minutes. (Finnish Air Force/Lehtikuva via AP)

Finland's Defense Ministry said it suspects a Russian military aircraft on Thursday violated Finnish airspace — the third such incident in six days.

Ministry spokesman Max Arhippainen told The Associated Press that a Russian AN-72 transport plane is believed to have crossed into the Nordic country's airspace over the Gulf of Finland for a few minutes.

Defense Minister Carl Haglund condemned the infraction, and said that Finland had demanded an explanation from Moscow.

"Unfortunately, we have no information to indicate that all these (violations) were accidental," Haglund told reporters in Helsinki. "As adequate explanations have not been forthcoming it would appear that a degree of intentionality was involved."

Haglund said that a Finnish Hornet jet was dispatched to intercept the Russian aircraft, but he gave no details.

Finland reported similar incidents with Russian aircraft on Saturday and Monday.

I thought it might be of interest to understand Russia & Finland’s history to question Putin’s action further.

“On 29 March 1809, having been taken over by the armies of Alexander I of Russia in the Finnish War, Finland became an autonomous Grand Duchy in the Russian Empire until the end of 1917.
During World War II, Finland fought the Soviet Union twice: 1st- in the Winter War of 1939–1940 after the Soviet Union had attacked Finland;
2nd- in the Continuation War of 1941–1944, following Operation Barbarossa, in which Germany had invaded the Soviet Union.
After fighting a major Soviet offensive in June/July 1944 to a standstill, Finland reached an armistice with the Soviet Union.

This was followed by the Lapland War of 1944–1945, when Finland fought against the retreating German forces in northern Finland.

The treaties signed in 1947 and 1948 with the Soviet Union included Finnish obligations, restraints and reparations—as well as further Finnish territorial concessions begun in the Moscow Peace Treaty of 1940.

As a result of the two wars, Finland was forced to cede most of Finnish Karelia, Salla and Petsamo, which amounted to 10% of its land area and 20% of its industrial capacity, including the ports of Vyborg (Viipuri) and ice-free Liinakhamari (Liinahamari).

Almost the whole population, some 400,000 persons, fled these areas. Finland was never occupied by Soviet forces and retained its independence, however, at a loss of about 93,000 soldiers.” - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland

Finland’s Air Force has deployed hardware at different airports across the country as part of efforts to step up air response readiness and beef up general preparedness, said Defence Force communications chief Mika Kalliomaa.
..
Sweden also boosts readiness

The Swedish Paper Svenska Dagbladet also reported Friday evening that Sweden has upped its military preparedness, with the government citing the serious course of developments in Ukraine.
http://yle.fi/uutiset/finnish_air_force_moves_hardware_to_helsinki-vantaa_airport_public_reports_hornet_sightings/7442628

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