Two Russian military planes 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 refueling tanker, likely conducting a refueling exercise. The jets crossed into NATO territory from Russia’s Kaliningrad region around 1600 CET.
Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Police immediately scrambled and began patrolling the area. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda condemned the intrusion in a post on X, calling it a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.”
He strongly denounced the incursion, saying Russia’s actions demanded a firm response. Moscow has not yet issued a statement.
NATO and EU Increase Vigilance Against Airspace Breaches
NATO and the European Union remain on high alert after several recent airspace violations believed to involve Russian aircraft. NATO warned Moscow in late September that it would use all available measures to prevent further incursions. The warning followed Russian drone crashes in Poland and reports of fighter jet intrusions over Estonia.
Poland’s 10 September incident marked the first direct confrontation between NATO and Russia since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Estonia later reported that three Russian MiG-31 jets entered its airspace for 12 minutes without authorization, a claim the Kremlin denied.
European leaders expressed growing concern over these repeated violations, questioning NATO’s readiness to counter Russian aggression. NATO reaffirmed its commitment to defend all members, pledging to use every lawful military and non-military tool to deter future threats.
Nordic Nations Report Drone Intrusions
On 23 September, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Russian involvement could not be dismissed after Copenhagen Airport closed for several hours due to multiple drone sightings. She warned that the situation reflected the serious challenges modern societies must confront.
The Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations as “unfounded.” The day before, Norway’s Oslo Airport also shut down for three hours after reports of potential drone activity.
Norway’s government reported that Russia had violated its airspace three times in 2025. Officials said it was unclear whether Monday’s incident resulted from deliberate action or navigation errors. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre insisted the violation remained unacceptable regardless of the cause.
