Russian Drones and Jets Are Probing NATO's Defenses. The Lithuanians Want to Shoot Them Down.

'Türkiye set an example 10 years ago.'

One of the intruding MiG-31s. Swedish defense ministry release

Three Russian air force Mikoyan MiG-31 interceptors flew through Estonian air space for 12 minutes on Friday. Apparently, it wasn’t until the twin-engine, supersonic jets—some of which can carry long-range Kinzhal hypersonic missiles—were in international air space over the Baltic Sea that NATO warplanes finally formed up on the intruders.

Coming just nine days after 16 Russian attack drones flew over Poland, the Friday incursion was an obvious test of NATO’s resolve. “It’s tough to see how this wasn't intentional,” a U.S. official told Reuters.

At least one NATO official wants the alliance to start shooting down Russian planes that cross into NATO air space. The Baltic States including Estonia and Lithuania do not operate their own fighters, instead relying on rotating contingents of planes from NATO allies for their air defense.

“We need to mean business,” warned Dovilė Šakalienė, the Lithuanian defense minister. “Türkiye set an example 10 years ago,” Šakalienė added. “Some food for thought.”

Šakalienė is referring to the last time NATO and Russian forces directly clashed in the air. On Nov. 24, 2015, Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters from the Turkish air force shot down a Russian air force Sukhoi Su-24 bomber that had crossed into Turkish air space near the border with Syria.

Turkish officials said the F-16s attacked after the Sukhoi’s two crew ignored warnings to leave. The Russian government wrongly insisted the jet never left Syrian air space. “The defense ministry considers actions of the Turkish air force as an unfriendly act,” Moscow’s top military headquarters stated.

The Turkish defense ministry released a radar map showing the jet briefly passing over the country’s southernmost province of Hatay. The Kremlin initially suggested rebel anti-aircraft fire had brought down the Su-24, but both Ankara and Moscow eventually acknowledged the incident.

“The entire world should be aware and sure that we’ll do whatever necessary in order to ensure our country’s peace and security within all this ring of fire, in order to maintain peace in Turkey and around,” Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said.