Vilnius, Lithuania, Oct 24 – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda condemned a recent violation of Lithuania’s airspace by Russian military planes, describing it as a blatant breach of the country’s territorial integrity. Lithuania, a member of both the European Union and NATO, is taking diplomatic action by summoning representatives from the Russian Embassy in Vilnius to formally protest the incident.

In a post on the social media platform X, Nauseda stated, “This is a blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania. Once again, it confirms the importance of strengthening European air defence readiness.” No immediate response has been received from Moscow regarding the violation.

The Baltic nations, including Lithuania, have been on heightened alert due to Russia’s aggressive actions in Ukraine. Recent weeks have seen a rise in mysterious drone incidents and airspace violations by Russian military aircraft, raising concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be testing NATO’s defensive capabilities. Some leaders have accused Putin of engaging in a hybrid war against Europe, while Moscow denies any intent to probe NATO defenses.

According to the Lithuanian armed forces, two Russian military aircraft entered Lithuanian airspace at approximately 6 p.m. local time on Thursday, flying about 700 meters (765 yards) into the territory. The aircraft involved were identified as a SU-30 and an IL-78 refueling plane, which departed after approximately 18 seconds. The Lithuanian military suspects that these planes were conducting refueling exercises in the nearby Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

In response to the airspace violation, two Spanish fighter jets, part of NATO air policing missions, were scrambled to the area. Earlier that day, President Nauseda participated in a summit at the European Council in Brussels, where EU leaders endorsed a strategic plan named Readiness 2030, aimed at ensuring Europe’s defense capabilities against external threats by the end of the decade.