Lithuania accused Russia of violating its airspace on Thursday, prompting NATO jets to scramble. Moscow denied any wrongdoing.
Two Spanish fighter jets on a NATO air policing mission were scrambled on Thursday after two Russian aircraft allegedly entered Lithuanian airspace.
According to the Lithuanian armed forces, a Russian SU-30 and an IL-78 flew about 765 yards into Lithuanian territory at 6:00 p.m. local time before turning back after roughly 18 seconds.
“This evening, Russian military planes violated Lithuanian airspace. This is a blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania,” President Gitanas Nausėda said on X. He confirmed that Lithuania’s foreign ministry summoned Russian diplomats in protest.
Moscow rejected the allegation. “The aircraft did not deviate from their flight route or violate the borders of other states,” Russia’s defense ministry said, according to the Associated Press.
The incident follows a series of similar airspace violations reported by Poland, Denmark, and Romania amid growing regional tension linked to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.