After Thursday’s incursion, Gitanas Nausėda, Lithuania’s President, said: “I strongly condemn the violation of Lithuanian airspace by the fighter jet and transport plane of the Russian Federation from a Kaliningrad region site.
“This is a cruel violation of international law and territorial sovereignty of Lithuania and we have to react to this.”
Its defence ministry added: “Our forces acted quickly with Nato jets on patrol. Lithuania remains strong and ready. Every inch of our country is protected.”
It was not immediately clear if the fighter jet was armed with missiles, as was the case when three Russian warplanes violated Estonia’s airspace last month.
The breach triggered high-level talks at Nato over fears Moscow was testing the alliance’s willingness to go to war.
Nato officials said the violations were part of a “hybrid war” being raged by Vladimir Putin as he attempts to deter Western support for Ukraine.
The alliance is currently on high alert over the spate of recent incursions, which includes dozens of Russian drones straying into Poland, prompting the first armed altercation between Nato and Moscow on allied soil.
Lithuania also recently summoned the Belarusian ambassador to Vilnius over balloons interfering with traffic at its capital’s airport.
The cigarette-smuggling balloons were transporting cheaper products into the EU, where tobacco is pricier, from Belarus.
The head of Lithuania’s national crisis management centre, Vilmantas Vitkauskas, described the latest balloon incursion as “the most intense this year”.
Lithuania responded by shutting two border crossings with Belarus, Lithuania’s border guards said.
A Nato official said: “Two Spanish Euro Typhoon fighter jets, which are deployed to the Lithuanian airbase of Siauliai as part of Eastern Sentry, were scrambled and flew to the site of this airspace violation.
“This is another demonstration of Nato’s readiness to respond to any developments and ability to ensure the safety of the Alliance’s airspace.”
