Two Russian military jets briefly violate Lithuanian airspace
Two Russian military aircraft briefly entered Lithuanian airspace on Thursday, according to a statement released by the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The incident, which lasted approximately eighteen seconds, involved a Sukhoi SU-30 fighter jet and an IL-78 refueling aircraft that crossed about 700 meters into Lithuanian territory near the town of Kybartai before turning back.
Lithuanian authorities immediately protested the breach. “On the evening of October 23, the chargé d’affaires of the Russian Embassy in Lithuania was summoned, handed a protest note, and issued a strong complaint regarding the violation of Lithuanian airspace,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
In response, two Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets operating under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission were scrambled to the area. The Baltic states—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia—remain particularly vigilant against Russian incursions given their geographic proximity to Russia and Belarus, and their strong support for Ukraine.
Vilnius has demanded an explanation from Moscow and called for measures to prevent such incidents in the future. Similar airspace violations have been reported in recent months, including a September episode when three Russian MiG-31 jets entered Estonian airspace, prompting Tallinn to request consultations under Article 4 of the NATO treaty.
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