Finland sends fighter jets and mine countermeasures vessel to participate in NATO missions

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced this on Friday, Ukrinform reported citing Reuters.

The fighter jets will participate in regular air patrolling and "creating deterrence by show of military force" in Romania and Bulgaria, including in the Black Sea, during June and July, the defence forces added.

One of Finland's Katanpaa class vessels will join NATO's mine countermeasure unit in the Baltic Sea in April and May, clearing old sea mines, participating in exercises and protecting underwater infrastructure, the statement said.

"Allies participating actively in NATO's peacetime collective defence missions sends a message of unity and reinforces deterrence," Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement.

As reported, Sweden and Finland decided to abandon their longstanding policy of not joining military alliances and applied for NATO membership after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Finland joined NATO last year in April, and Sweden's membership has been ratified by all member states except Hungary.