The Lithuanian Armed Forces reported an airspace violation by two Russian military aircraft near the town of Kybartai on the evening of October 23. Spanish Air Force fighter jets participating in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission were scrambled in response.
According to the Lithuanian Armed Forces, the incident occurred at around 6:00 p.m. when two Russian aircraft crossed Lithuania’s state border near Kybartai.
The aircraft — a Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 aerial refueling plane — likely conducting refueling training over Russia’s Kaliningrad region, entered Lithuanian airspace by approximately 700 meters and remained there for about 18 seconds before leaving.
In response, two Eurofighter Typhoon jets from the Spanish Air Force, currently deployed under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, were scrambled to intercept and are now patrolling the area of the incident.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces emphasized that such airspace violations pose a threat to civil aviation safety and are unacceptable under international law.