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TWO Russian military aircraft violated Nato’s airspace yet again in a brazen incursion – forcing the Western alliance to scramble fighter jets.
Lithuania’s military said a Russian Su-30 fighter jet and Il-78 refuelling tanker breached the country’s sovereign airspace and remained there for at least 18 seconds.
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It said both the Russian military aircraft entered Lithuania from the Kaliningrad region – a strategic Russian exclave in the heart of Europe.
Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Nato Baltic Air Police were scrambled in response and are patrolling the area, the military added.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said: “This evening, Russian military planes violated Lithuanian airspace. This is a blatant breach of international law and the territorial integrity of Lithuania.
“Once again, it confirms the importance of strengthening European air defence readiness.”
Russia’s defence ministry has since denied any violations of Lithuania’s airspace – insisting the jets were carrying out a “training fight” over the country’s Kaliningrad region.
The brazen incursion is the latest in a string of Nato’s air violations by Russia.
It comes just a day after the US imposed direct sanctions on Russia to pressure Vladimir Putin to agree to an “immediate ceasefire” in the Ukraine war.
It is the first time in his second term that Trump slapped direct sanctions on Russia – and it comes amid his growing frustration with Moscow over the raging war.
Putin said imposing the sanctions – which targeted Russia’s two biggest oil giants – was an “unfriendly act” but Russia won’t cave to pressure.
In the last few weeks, Europe has witnessed fighter jet face-offs, mysterious large drone sightings and coordinated sabotage activities that crippled operations at major airports.
Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonia’s airspace “without clearance” in September – triggering an emergency Nato meeting.
The fighter jets reportedly flew over Vaindloo Island and stayed there for nearly 12 minutes.
The unprecedented manoeuvre prompted two Italian F-35s to immediately set off from Amari airbase, about 50km from the capital Tallinn.
Shortly afterwards, Polish authorities reported a “low flyover” of Russian military planes near an oil and gas platform.
And just weeks before that Polish authorities said they detected 19 violations of their airspace.
It prompted a dramatic million-dollar response as fighter jets were scrambled and Patriot air defence systems placed on alert.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the incident brought Poland closer to military conflict “than at any time since the Second World War”.
Up to four drones were shot down with the help of Nato allies.
Mysterious drone sightings also briefly shuttered a Danish airport twice within a few hours after the country’s prime minister said the flights were part of “hybrid attacks” that may be linked to Russia.
Security and military experts all pointed their fingers at Vladimir Putin, who has a chilling past of orchestrating sabotage activities and other hybrid warfare techniques against the West.
Nato has now said it will shoot down any Russian aircraft that violates the alliance’s airspace.
But the bold declaration has attracted an ominous threat from Moscow, which said that acting on it would mean war.
Fortress Europe
Europe is now gearing up to defend against Putin’s tyrannical WW3 ambitions with an incredible four-pronged plan – air shield, space shield, drone wall and flank watch.
After Moscow‘s repeated – and unprovoked – aerial invasions threatening Europe’s security, the continent is now on a war footing to fight Putin’s aggression.
The European Commission has now proposed four European flagship defence projects – including a counter-drone system and a plan to fortify the eastern border – to defend itself against Russia by 2030.
Plans are to create a European Air Shield, which will defend against missiles and other airborne threats.
Meanwhile, a European Space Shield will be created to protect European space assets and services.
And nations on Nato‘s eastern flank will build a multi-layered air defence system that will help detect the drones early and take them down.
Alongside the drone initiative is a broader “Eastern Flank Watch” programme designed to bolster air and ground defences along the EU’s border closest to Russia by the end of 2028.
Several frontline European nations attended a virtual meeting to assess how to protect their borders with the drone wall – which officials say is the need of the hour.
They include the Baltic republics, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, along with Ukraine.
Although Ukraine is not part of the project, it has the most expertise in bringing down drones.
The aim of the “drone wall” is to build a sophisticated, multi-layered air-defence system that can detect, track and take down rogue drones – without having to scramble fighter jets and use million-dollar missiles as the first response.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said: “Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends. It is clear we need to toughen our defences against Russia.”
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