Two Russian military aircraft briefly entered Lithuania’s airspace on Thursday, the country’s military confirmed. The planes, identified as an Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refuelling tanker, reportedly crossed the border from Russia’s Kaliningrad region around 1600 CET. Military officials said the aircraft spent about 18 seconds inside Lithuanian territory during what appeared to be a refuelling exercise.
Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission immediately took off and began patrolling the area. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda posted on X, condemning what he called a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.” In a video statement, he denounced the intrusion by Russian aircraft and urged a strong response. Moscow has not issued a statement.
NATO Warns Moscow After Series of Airspace Breaches
Both NATO and the European Union remain on alert after several recent airspace violations allegedly involving Russian aircraft. At the end of September, NATO warned Moscow it would defend against any future intrusions “by all means.” The warning followed incidents including the downing of Russian drones over Poland and an airspace breach reported by Estonia.
Poland’s 10 September incident marked the first direct confrontation between NATO and Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Estonia later accused three Russian MiG-31 jets of entering its airspace for 12 minutes, a claim the Kremlin denied. These events alarmed European leaders and raised concerns about NATO’s readiness to counter escalating Russian aggression.
NATO reaffirmed its commitment to collective defense, vowing to use all necessary military and non-military tools to deter threats from any direction.
Drone Sightings Disrupt Airports in Denmark and Norway
Recent drone activity also triggered security alerts in northern Europe. 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 such incidents highlight the security challenges modern societies must confront. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the accusations as “unfounded.”
A day earlier, Oslo airport in Norway also closed for three hours following similar reports. The Norwegian government said Russia allegedly violated its airspace three times in 2025 but has not confirmed whether the latest case resulted from deliberate action or navigation errors. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre insisted that regardless of intent, such incidents remain unacceptable.
After Poland’s airspace breach, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the Eastern Sentry program to deter further incursions and reinforce alliance unity. He said NATO would continue supporting Poland and all members, stressing that defending allied airspace is crucial to counter aggression and preserve stability.
