Alarm in Lithuania
Russian military jets violate NATO airspace
Updated 10/23/2025 – 7:58 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
A Russian fighter jet and a tanker plane have entered Lithuania’s airspace. Two Spanish Air Force Eurofighters took off.
According to the army, two Russian military aircraft entered the airspace of the Baltic EU and NATO country in Lithuania. The Lithuanian army said the Air Force detected a violation of the state border near Kybartai by a Russian SU-30 jet and an IL-78 tanker aircraft around 6 p.m. local time.
The two planes flew about 700 meters deep into Lithuanian territory and stayed there for about 18 seconds. In response to the incident, two Spanish Air Force Eurofighters took off, the Lithuanian army said.
Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda spoke of a “blatant violation of international law and Lithuania’s territorial integrity.” The incident once again confirms that air defense needs to be strengthened. He also announced that Lithuania would summon a representative of the Russian Embassy because of the airspace violation. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene assured on Facebook that the situation was completely under control.
The incident follows a series of airspace violations by Russia that have recently caused increasing tension and unrest among NATO allies in Europe. Russian fighter jets entered Estonian airspace on September 19 and Russian military drones repeatedly violated the airspace over the NATO alliance area along the eastern flank.
According to Estonia, three armed Russian MiG-31 aircraft flew through Estonian airspace over the Baltic Sea for twelve minutes. The EU and NATO member state had therefore requested both an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and consultations with the allies in accordance with Article 4 of the NATO treaty. In the subsequent statement, the military alliance warned Russia against further border violations, threatening violence.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania do not have their own fighter jets. NATO has therefore been securing Baltic airspace since 2004. To this end, the allies are regularly moving combat aircraft and personnel to the Baltic Sea states in northeastern Europe that border Russia. The units are stationed at military airports in Siauliai (Lithuania) and Ämari (Estonia).
