Lithuania’s foreign ministry summoned the chargé d’affaire from Russia’s embassy in the country on Thursday to protest an 18-second airspace violation by two Russian military aircraft.
The violation took place at roughly 6 p.m. Kyiv time, according to Euronews. The Lithuanian military identified the two aircraft as one Su-30 fighter jet and one Il-78 refuelling tanker.
Writing on X, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda condemned the incident as a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania.”
“Once again, it confirms the importance of strengthening European air defence readiness,” he added.
Two Eurofighter Typhoon jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Police were scrambled to patrol the area in response to Russia’s latest incursion.
The incident follows a string of airspace violations over NATO’s eastern flank by drones and aircraft identified as Russian.
On Sept. 19, neighbouring Estonia summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires over a 12-minute violation of their airspace by three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that entered Estonian territory over the Gulf of Finland.
Earlier this week, the crossing of dozens of helium balloons into Lithuania from Belarus – a common tactic for smuggling cheap tobacco products into the European Union – disrupted 30 flights transiting Vilnius Airport, affecting thousands of passengers. Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene warned on Wednesday that if the incident is repeated her government “will react immediately and close our border with Belarus.”
Lithuania has been home to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, since Belarusian dictator Aleksander Lukashenko claimed victory in the last election and she was forced into exile.