Putin’s navy plane are noticed in Lithuanian airspace as he threatens a ‘critical and overwhelming response’ if Russia is attacked with Tomahawk missiles as he condemns Trump’s ‘unfriendly’ oil sanctions
NATO jets were scrambled on Thursday after two Russian military planes were briefly spotted in Lithuanian airspace.
The aircraft, an Su-fighter and Il-78 refuelling tanker, were in the airspace for 18 seconds, with Spanish jets from NATO’s Baltic division scrambled in response, according to the Lithuanian military.
The Russian planes were possibly conducting a refueling exercise over the city of Kaliningrad before they flew 700 metres into Lithuanian territory, according to local media.
The country’s Ministry of National Defence said in a statement: ‘Our forces acted quickly with NATO jets on patrol.
‘Lithuania remains strong and ready. Every inch of our country is protected.’
President Gitanas Nausėda condemned the incident, stating: ‘This is a cruel violation of international law and the territorial sovereignty of Lithuania, and we have to react to this.’
It comes after Vladimir Putin on Thursday threatened to issue a ‘very serious’ response if Russian territory is attacked with US Tomahawk missiles.
His remarks came as he gave his first direct response after his US counterpart Donald Trump announced sanctions on Russia yesterday.
The two Russian aircraft, an Su-fighter and Il-78 refuelling tanker, were in the airspace for 18 seconds. File photo: A North American Aerospace Defense Command F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft, foreground, escorts a Russian Su-35 fighter, center, and Tu-95 Bear bomber through the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone over the Bering Sea Sept. 24, 2025
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda condemned the incident, stating: ‘This is a cruel violation of international law and the territorial sovereignty of Lithuania’
The Russian planes were possibly conducting a refueling exercise over the city of Kaliningrad before they flew 700 metres into Lithuanian territory, according to local media
Putin vowed to continue ‘dialogue’ with Trump, but said that if Russia were to be attacked with US Tomahawk missiles, which Ukraine seeks, the response would be ‘very serious, if not overwhelming’.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been demanding Tomahawk missiles from the US.
Trump did not rule out providing Kyiv with such missiles during talks in Washington with Zelensky last week but appeared cool to the idea.
The US leader on Wednesday hit Russia’s two biggest oil producers – Rosneft and Lukoil – with sanctions, the first against Russia since US President Donald returned to office.
‘They (sanctions) are serious for us, of course, that is clear. And they will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly impact our economic well-being,’ Putin told reporters today.
He added that the sanctions were an ‘unfriendly act’ that ‘does not strengthen Russia-US relations, which have only just begun to recover.’
Despite Trump’s outreach to Putin, Russia has continued its heavy bombardments on Ukraine, targeting key energy infrastructure ahead of the winter.
Zelensky said he hoped that Trump’s shift on sanctions would also herald a change of mind on giving Ukraine Tomahawk missiles.
Vladimir Putin has warned of a ‘serious response’ if Russian territory is attacked with US Tomahawk missiles
File photo: A Tomahawk missile is fired at Syria as part of an allied strike in April 2018
The Ukrainian president on Thursday also urged European allies to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons.
Trump attempted to foster ties with Russia at the start of his term but has become increasingly frustrated with Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire, complaining that his peace talks with him were not going ‘anywhere’.
The Republican president held off introducing new restrictions against Russia for months, but his patience snapped after plans for a fresh summit with Putin in Budapest collapsed.
Still, even after new sanctions and the summit’s postponement, Putin appeared to remain open to dialogue.
‘Dialogue is always better than confrontation or any disputes, and especially war. We have always supported the continuation of dialogue,’ Putin told journalists.
Putin’s warning over the use of Tomahawks comes after British Storm Shadow missiles were used by Ukraine to strike an important chemical plant that produces gunpowder in Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been seeking Tomahawk missiles from the US
A residential apartment building remains damaged after a Russian drone attack on October 23, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine
A Russian oil refinery was pounded by Ukrainian missiles overnight just hours after the US announced sweeping sanctions targeting Putin’s wartime cashflow
‘A massive combined missile and air strike was carried out, including the use of air-launched Storm Shadow missiles, which successfully penetrated the Russian air defense system,’ Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement on X on Tuesday.
‘This enterprise produces gunpowder, explosives, and components for rocket fuel, in particular for ammunition and missiles that the enemy uses to shell the territory of Ukraine,’ the military said.
The British government last year approved the use of Storm Shadow missiles by Ukrainian forces in operations on Russian territory, with the first known strikes happening in November.
Ukraine’s general staff described the plant as a ‘key facility’ producing gunpowder, explosives and rocket fuel and said damage caused by the operation was being assessed.
Images on social media claim to show flames billowing out of the facility.
The Ukrainian air force, army and other units carried out the attack.
Putin’s stark warning also comes as Ukraine pounded one of Russia’s key oil refineries with drones just hours after Trump announced his crippling sanctions on Moscow’s giants.
The strike set the massive Ryazan refinery ablaze overnight, sending flames above one of the country’s largest industrial plants.
Pavel Malkov, the governor of Ryazan Oblast, is reported to have said on Telegram: ‘Last night, 14 UAVs were destroyed by air defence systems over Ryazan Oblast.
‘The falling debris caused a fire on the territory of one company… Emergency services are working at the site.’
He also said that there was a ban on posting videos and pictures from the scene of the blast.
