Two Spanish fighter jets were dispatched on a NATO air patrol after a Russian aircraft crossed into Lithuanian airspace. According to the Lithuanian military, two Russian planes, specifically a SU-30 and an IL-78, entered approximately 765 yards into Lithuanian territory around 6 PM local time on Thursday. Remarkably, the offending aircraft took off roughly 18 seconds later.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda described the incident as a serious breach of international law and an infringement on Lithuania’s sovereignty. He highlighted the need for enhancing Europe’s air defense capabilities in a post on X.
Nausėda also stated that Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry would summon Russian embassy representatives in Vilnius to express strong disapproval over what was termed reckless and perilous actions. The ministry confirmed to X news agency that they had indeed called in Russia’s chargé d’affaires regarding the airspace breach.
“Russia must halt its aggressive actions and adhere to international law and respect the borders of neighboring nations,” the ministry added in its post.
The Russian Defense Ministry refuted Lithuania’s allegations, claiming that the SU-30 jets were conducting training flights over the Kaliningrad region in full compliance with regulations. They asserted that the aircraft had not deviated from its intended flight path or violated any state boundaries, as verified by objective monitoring.
As the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on, the Baltic states remain on high alert. Recent airspace incursions have stirred concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin is testing NATO defenses, a claim the Kremlin has denied.
NATO members, including Poland, Denmark, and Romania, have reported incidents of Russian drones violating their airspace in the past few months. In one notable case, just half a mile from Romanian territory, a Russian attack prompted Romania to scramble F-16 fighter jets.
In an unrelated development, President Trump recently canceled a planned meeting with President Putin in Budapest, Hungary. While the White House has not ruled out future summits, Trump criticized Putin for failing to pursue peace with Ukraine.
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt noted that Trump felt there hadn’t been sufficient progress made regarding peace efforts, leading to the cancellation. Although a future meeting isn’t off the table, the administration emphasized the need for a positive outcome to justify such discussions.
Trump was quoted saying, “To me, it didn’t feel right,” referring to his decision to halt plans for the summit. Since the Hungary meeting has been scrapped, no new arrangements have been made for future interactions.
