Two Russian military planes briefly entered Lithuania’s airspace on Thursday, the Lithuanian military confirmed. Officials said the aircraft, identified as an Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refueling tanker, crossed from Russia’s Kaliningrad region at around 1600 CET and remained for about 18 seconds.
NATO’s Baltic Air Police immediately deployed Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets to patrol the area. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda denounced the incident on X, calling it a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.”
He strongly condemned the intrusion, saying the violation by Russian aircraft demanded a response. Moscow has not commented on the event.
NATO Warns Moscow After Repeated Incidents
NATO and the European Union remain on high alert following a series of suspected Russian airspace violations in recent weeks. NATO warned Moscow at the end of September that it would defend against further intrusions by any means necessary after Russian drones entered Polish airspace and jets breached Estonia’s skies.
The 10 September incident in Poland marked the first direct encounter between NATO and Russia since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Estonia later reported that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated its airspace for 12 minutes, a claim the Kremlin denied.
European leaders expressed alarm, questioning NATO’s readiness against growing Russian provocations. NATO stated that it would use all lawful military and non-military measures to defend its members from any direction.
European Leaders Respond to Drone Sightings
After Russian drones reportedly entered Polish airspace, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte launched the Eastern Sentry program to deter further violations and reinforce solidarity with Poland. Rutte said drone intrusions—intentional or not—were unacceptable and demanded a united defense of all alliance members.
On 23 September, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she could not rule out Russian involvement after drones forced Copenhagen airport to close for several hours. She warned that such incidents reflect the new security challenges facing Europe. The Kremlin dismissed the accusations as “unfounded.”
A day earlier, Oslo airport in Norway also shut down for three hours following possible drone sightings. Norway’s government reported three Russian airspace violations in 2025 but could not confirm whether the latest one was deliberate or accidental. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the incidents, intentional or not, remain unacceptable.
