<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Russian military planes have briefly violated Lithuania's airspace, the Lithuanian president said, condemning what he called a blatant breach of the territorial integrity of his European Union and NATO-member country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lithuania's foreign ministry planned to summon Russian diplomats in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius to protest the violation they say happened late on Thursday (Friday AEDT), President Gitanas Nausėda said in a post on X.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is a blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania," Nausėda wrote on X.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/kill-crew-trio-charged-with-kidnapping-and-murdering-alleged-drug-syndicate-members-wife/95a87355-f90b-494e-8a7c-af264c627225" target="_blank"><strong><span>'Kill crew' trio charged with murdering alleged drug syndicate member's wife</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Once again, it confirms the importance of strengthening European air defence readiness."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There was no immediate comment from Moscow.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Baltic nations have already been on heightened alert over neighbouring Russia's aggression on Ukraine.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/russian-planes-accused-of-violating-lithuania-air-space/b433a9b6-0896-47b6-8b66-150b025c7bc8" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And in recent weeks, a series of mysterious drone incidents and airspace violations by Russian war planes have fuelled concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin might be testing NATO's defensive reflexes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some leaders have accused Putin of waging a hybrid war in Europe. Moscow denies probing NATO's defences.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/most-of-white-house-east-wing-torn-down-photos-show/3580f2a7-6252-489d-8fcb-1433c92f52bb" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump tears down nearly all of White House East Wing</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Lithuanian armed forces said in a statement that about 6pm. local time on Thursday, two Russian military aircraft flew into Lithuanian airspace for about 700 metres.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The SU-30 aircraft and IL-78 refuelling aircraft flew away after roughly 18 seconds.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Lithuanian armed forces believe the military planes might have been conducting refuelling exercises in the neighbouring Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two Spanish fighter jets, which had been doing NATO air policing missions, were scrambled and flew out to the area.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier on Thursday, Nausėda attended a summit at the European Council building in Brussels where EU leaders endorsed a plan to ensure that Europe can defend itself against an outside attack by the end of the decade. The plan is dubbed Readiness 2030.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>