Overview
- Lithuania’s military reported that the two aircraft crossed about 700 meters near Kybartai and remained for roughly 18 seconds, possibly during refuelling training from Kaliningrad.
- Spanish Eurofighter Typhoons on Baltic Air Policing duty were scrambled and patrolled the area, with a NATO official calling the response a demonstration of Alliance readiness.
- Vilnius summoned the Russian charge d’affaires, issued a formal protest, and notified NATO and EU partners including the North Atlantic Council.
- Russia’s Defence Ministry denied any violation, saying the flights stayed over Russian territory on planned routes and did not cross international borders.
- The disputed episode follows recent airspace and drone incidents involving Poland and Estonia, reinforcing allied pushes such as the EU’s Readiness 2030 plan and calls to strengthen surveillance and air defence; no shots were fired.