Lithuanian President escalates the Russian Blast on Blatant Breach to NATO and warns of serious violations.
Tensions in the already volatile Baltic region have sharply escalated after Lithuania, a NATO member, reported a serious violation of its national airspace by Russian military aircraft.
The incident, which occurred on Thursday evening, involved a brief but highly provocative incursion that has drawn sharp condemnation from Vilnius and triggered an immediate military response from the North Atlantic Alliance.
The breach marks the latest in a series of aggressive aerial actions by Moscow in the Baltic Sea area, further underscoring the deteriorating security situation on NATO’s eastern flank.
Headline Points
• NATO Airspace Violated: Two Russian military aircraft—an Su-30 fighter jet and an IL-78 refuelling tanker—briefly crossed into Lithuanian airspace from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
• Immediate Scramble: NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission responded instantly, scrambling Spanish Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon jets to intercept and monitor the Russian planes.
• Formal Protest Issued: Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian Embassy’s charge d’affaires in Vilnius to deliver a Note of Protest, demanding an immediate explanation.
• Increased Regional Tensions: The incident fuels ongoing concern over Russia’s intent, following similar recent drone and aircraft incursions into the airspace of NATO members Poland, Estonia, and Romania.
Details of the Incursion
According to reports from the Lithuanian Armed Forces, the violation occurred near the border town of Kybartai.
The two Russian planes flew approximately 700 metres into Lithuanian territory, remaining in NATO airspace for an estimated 18 seconds. The aircraft were believed to be conducting refuelling training operations when they momentarily strayed across the border.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda used forceful language to denounce the act, calling it a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania.”
He stressed that the incident “once again, it confirms the importance of strengthening European air defence readiness.”
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene went further, stating on social media that the action “shows once again that Russia behaves as a terrorist state in spite of international law and the safety of neighboring countries.”
Moscow Denies Wrongdoing
As is typical with such incidents, the Russian Defense Ministry immediately rejected the claims. In a statement, Moscow insisted that its Su-30 fighters were conducting planned training flights over the Kaliningrad region in “strict compliance with the rules” and did not violate the borders of any other state.
Despite this denial, the brevity and location of the incursion—in a strategically sensitive area adjacent to the highly militarised Kaliningrad—have led NATO allies to treat it as a deliberate act of provocation or an attempt to test the Alliance’s reaction speed.
The rapid deployment of the Spanish NATO jets underscored the Alliance’s commitment to defending the airspace of its member nations under the Baltic Air Policing mission.
Lithuania has informed all NATO and EU partners of the violation through official diplomatic channels, ensuring the North Atlantic Council is fully apprised of the security risk.
The incident highlights the need for constant vigilance and the ongoing reinforcement of the Alliance’s eastern boundaries, as Russia continues to use low-level military probes to heighten tensions with its Western neighbours.
