Two Russian military aircraft entered Lithuanian airspace on Thursday for about 18 seconds, according to the country’s military. Officials identified the aircraft as an Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refuelling tanker. They reportedly crossed into Lithuania from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad around 1600 CET during a refuelling training exercise.
Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Police scrambled immediately and began patrolling the area. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda posted on X, calling the incursion a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.” He strongly condemned Russia’s actions in a video statement and said Lithuania must respond firmly. Moscow has not yet issued a comment.
NATO Raises Alert Over Russian Airspace Breaches
NATO and the European Union remain on heightened alert after multiple suspected Russian airspace violations in recent weeks. The alliance warned Moscow in late September that it would defend against any future intrusions following Russian drone incidents over Poland and Estonia.
The 10 September drone incident in Poland marked the first direct confrontation between NATO and Russia since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022. Estonia also reported that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated its airspace for 12 minutes, a claim the Kremlin denied.
European leaders expressed alarm at the repeated incidents, questioning NATO’s readiness to counter growing Russian aggression. The alliance declared that it would use all lawful military and non-military measures to defend its members from any threats.
European Leaders Confront Drone Incursions
After the violation of Polish airspace, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the Eastern Sentry programme to deter Russian incursions and reinforce solidarity with Poland. He said drone violations—intentional or not—are unacceptable and vowed full allied support for Poland’s defence.
On 23 September, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Russian involvement could not be ruled out after Copenhagen airport shut down for several hours due to drone sightings. She warned that European societies must prepare for new security challenges. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations as “unfounded.”
A day earlier, Oslo airport in Norway also closed for three hours following reports of drone activity. Norwegian officials said Russia allegedly violated their airspace three times in 2025, though they could not confirm whether the latest incident was intentional or due to navigation errors. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre condemned the situation, stating that such violations are unacceptable under any circumstances.
