Two Russian military aircraft entered Lithuania’s airspace on Thursday for 18 seconds, the Lithuanian military reported. The intruding aircraft, identified as a Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refuelling tanker, crossed from Russia’s Kaliningrad region at around 1600 CET during a refuelling training mission.
Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Police immediately scrambled and began patrolling the area. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda condemned the act in a post on X, calling it a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.” He said in a video statement that Lithuania must respond firmly to the violation. Moscow has not issued a comment.
NATO Increases Vigilance After Repeated Violations
NATO and the European Union have remained on high alert after multiple suspected Russian airspace intrusions in recent weeks. NATO warned Moscow in late September that it would use all available means to prevent further violations, following drone incidents over Poland and a reported intrusion into Estonia’s airspace.
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 jets entered its airspace for 12 minutes without authorization, a claim the Kremlin denied. European leaders expressed concern over the growing pattern of aggression, questioning NATO’s readiness for escalating Russian threats.
Northern Europe Faces Ongoing Drone Threats
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the Eastern Sentry program to deter Russian incursions and demonstrate unity with Poland. Rutte said drone intrusions, intentional or not, remain unacceptable and stressed that allies stand in full solidarity with Poland.
In Denmark, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Russian involvement could not be ruled out after drone sightings forced Copenhagen airport to shut down for several hours on 23 September. She warned that society must stay prepared for such disruptions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the accusations as “unfounded.”
Norway also reported temporary airport closures on 22 September after possible drone activity near Oslo. The Norwegian government said Russia allegedly violated its airspace three times in 2025 but could not confirm if the latest incident was deliberate. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre declared that, regardless of intent, such actions remain completely unacceptable.
