Russian An-30 reconnaissance aircraft violated Swedish airspace, the General Staff of the Swedish Armed Forces said on Saturday, April 30. A day earlier, he briefly flew into Swedish territory, where he was photographed, the General Staff clarified, DW reports..

The Swedish Ministry of Defense called the incident "

" Sweden will express its protest to Russia through diplomatic channels.

The incident occurred against the backdrop of ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, after the start of which Sweden, as well as neighboring Finland, increased the desire to join the North Atlantic Alliance.. Presumably, the official appeal of the two countries to NATO may occur as early as mid-May.. In this case, the applications for the entry of the two Scandinavian countries can be considered at the summit of the alliance in Madrid, scheduled for June..

[see_also ids\u003d"

Russia has repeatedly warned Sweden and Finland against joining NATO, stating the negative consequences of such a decision for peace and stability in northern Europe.

An-30 (product " Developed in OKB im.. Antonov together with OKB im.. Beriev in the mid-60s of the twentieth century. An-30 is a deep modification of the An-24 passenger aircraft and is designed for aerial photography and airborne geophysical work. Also used in military aviation for aerial reconnaissance.