Lithuania’s army reported on Thursday that two military aircraft had crossed the border, remaining in the NATO member state’s airspace for 18 seconds.
The aircraft, a fighter jet and a tanker, flew 700 meters (nearly half a mile) into Lithuania from the Kaliningrad region.
The Lithianian air force detected the Russian SU-30 and IL-78 aircraft near Kybartei at around 6 p.m. (1600 GMT).
Two Spanish air force Eurofighter jets were scrambled in response to the violation of Lithuania’s airspace.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called the move a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania” in a post on X that said it “confirms the importance of strengthening European air defense readiness.”
Nauseda’s post also noted that Vilnius’ Foreign Ministry would summon Russian embassy representatives to protest Russia’s “reckless and dangerous behavior.”
Russian violations of NATO airspace becoming more common
Thursday’s incident is just the latest in a series of encroachments in which Russian jets as well as drones have breached NATO airspace.
Poland, Romania, Denmark, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have all been subjected to such incursions over the past few weeks.
This situation has alarmed European leaders who accuse Russian President of conducting what they call a hybrid war and suggesting that these airspace provocations are designed to terrorize European citizens and test NATO resolve and readiness.
The of Lithuania, , Estonia as well as neighboring nations and all or besieged Ukraine, putting them squarely at and Europe’s eastern flank.
They also share a special history with Russia.
Each has been , and with Russian President Putin’s neo-imperial dream of recreating what he calls “greater Russia,” they fear he intends to force them back under Moscow’s yoke if he is not stopped in Ukraine.
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