Two Russian military planes entered Lithuania’s airspace for 18 seconds on Thursday, according to the Lithuanian military. The aircraft, identified as an Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refuelling tanker, reportedly crossed from Russia’s Kaliningrad region around 1600 CET during a refuelling training mission.
Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Police responded immediately and continue to patrol the area. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda condemned the intrusion on X, calling it a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.”
He strongly denounced the airspace violation by Russian aircraft from Kaliningrad and stressed the need for action. Moscow has not issued any response.
NATO and EU Heighten Military Readiness
NATO and the European Union remain on high alert after a series of recent airspace violations believed to involve Russia. At the end of September, NATO warned Moscow it would use every available measure to defend its territory after Russian drones were shot down over Poland and Estonia reported an intrusion by Russian fighter jets.
Poland’s 10 September incident marked the first direct NATO-Russia encounter since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Estonia also accused three Russian MiG-31 jets of entering its airspace for 12 minutes without permission, an allegation the Kremlin denied.
European leaders expressed deep concern, questioning the alliance’s readiness against growing Russian aggression. NATO reaffirmed that it would use all military and non-military means, in line with international law, to defend its members from any threat.
Northern Europe Reports Drone and Airspace Incidents
After Poland’s airspace breach, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the Eastern Sentry programme to deter further Russian incursions and strengthen support for Poland. He said drone violations remain unacceptable, intentional or not, and emphasized full allied solidarity with Warsaw.
On 23 September, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Russian involvement could not be excluded after Copenhagen airport closed for several hours due to drone sightings. She warned that such events reflect the current security climate and the need for greater preparedness.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations as “unfounded.” A day earlier, Norway’s Oslo airport shut down for three hours following similar reports of drone activity. Norwegian officials said Russia violated the country’s airspace three times in 2025, though they have not determined if the latest incident resulted from deliberate action or navigational errors. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre declared that such behavior remains unacceptable under any circumstance.
