Two Russian military aircraft entered Lithuania’s airspace for 18 seconds on Thursday, the Lithuanian military reported. Officials identified the aircraft as an Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refuelling tanker. Both planes reportedly crossed from Russia’s Kaliningrad region around 1600 CET during a refuelling exercise.
Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Police immediately scrambled to secure the area. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda posted on X, calling the act a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.” He strongly condemned the violation and urged a firm response. Moscow has not issued a statement.
NATO Warns Moscow After Series of Incidents
NATO and the European Union remain on high alert following a surge of suspected Russian airspace intrusions. NATO warned Moscow in late September that it would defend against any future airspace violations by all necessary means.
The warning followed several incidents, including the downing of Russian drones over Poland and reports of Russian fighter jets entering Estonian airspace. Poland’s 10 September event marked the first direct encounter between NATO and Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Estonia reported that three Russian MiG-31s entered its airspace for 12 minutes without authorisation, a claim the Kremlin denied.
NATO leaders expressed deep concern, questioning the alliance’s readiness against escalating Russian aggression. The alliance reiterated that it would use all lawful military and non-military tools to protect its members from any threat.
Drone Sightings Raise Tensions in Northern Europe
Following the Polish incident, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte launched the Eastern Sentry programme to deter future Russian incursions and strengthen support for Poland. He condemned repeated drone violations of NATO airspace, stressing that the allies stand united in defending every member state.
Meanwhile, Denmark and Norway also faced suspicious drone activity. On 23 September, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Russian involvement could not be ruled out after Copenhagen airport closed for several hours due to drone sightings. She warned that such incidents show the challenges modern societies must face.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the accusations as “unfounded.” The following day, Oslo airport in Norway shut down for three hours after similar reports. Norwegian officials said Russia violated their airspace three times in 2025, though it remains unclear whether the latest case resulted from deliberate action or navigation mistakes. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stated that regardless of intent, such actions remain unacceptable.
