Two Russian military aircraft entered Lithuanian airspace for 18 seconds on Thursday, according to Lithuania’s armed forces. The planes, identified as an Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refueling tanker, crossed from Russia’s Kaliningrad region at around 1600 CET. Officials believe they were conducting a refueling training mission.
Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Police scrambled immediately and began patrolling the region. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda condemned the act on X, calling it a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.” He stated in a video that Lithuania must respond firmly to defend its sovereignty. Moscow has not commented on the incident.
NATO Warns Moscow After Repeated Violations
NATO and the European Union remain on alert after several recent airspace violations reportedly linked to Russia. NATO warned Moscow in late September that it would defend its airspace by all available means after Russian drones entered Poland and fighter jets breached Estonia’s airspace.
The 10 September drone incident in Poland marked the first direct NATO-Russia encounter since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Estonia reported three unauthorized Russian MiG-31 jets entering its airspace for 12 minutes, a claim the Kremlin rejected. NATO said Russia should have “no doubt” that the alliance would use every legal tool—military and non-military—to deter further aggression.
Following the Polish incident, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the Eastern Sentry programme to prevent further intrusions and reinforce solidarity with Poland. He said the alliance stands united against any violations, intentional or not, and will defend every member state.
Northern Europe Faces Growing Drone Threats
On 23 September, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Russian involvement could not be ruled out after Copenhagen airport shut down for several hours due to multiple drone sightings. She said the event reflected the challenging times Europe faces and urged readiness for future threats.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the accusations as “unfounded.” The day before, Oslo airport in Norway also closed for three hours after similar reports of drone activity.
Norway’s government said Russia violated its airspace three times in 2025 but remains uncertain whether the latest incident resulted from deliberate action or navigation errors. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre declared that any such breaches, intentional or not, remain completely unacceptable.
