The activity was first detected on 6 December and has continued between Sunday and Tuesday. It remains unknown when the exercise is scheduled to end.
Finnish Minister of Defence, estimated on Tuesday that the activity is clearly a show of force by Russia.
The activity has prompted the Finnish Air Force to step up its air-policing operations by, for example, adjusting the number of Hornet jets on stand-by at several airbases. Nato has similarly bolstered its efforts to monitor the airspace of Sweden and the Baltic countries.
The activity is unusual also in light of the number and types of aircraft detected in the region.
The detected detachments have included bombers, stealth and interceptor jets as well as transport aircraft.
Perhaps the most unusual aircraft is Tupolev Tu-95.
None of the aircraft have violated Finnish airspace.
The aircrafts have been moving between mainland Russia and Kaliningrad, back and forth.
In addition to the Tupolev Tu-95, Finnish jets have identified Tupolev Tu-22M bombers as well as Suhoi Su-27 and MiG-31 jets. Suhoi Su-24 and Suhoi Su-34 jets as well as Ilyushin Il-76 and Antonov An-26 multi-purpose aircraft have also been detected over the Baltic Sea.
helsinkitimes
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