Yesterday, between 10 and 11 a.m., Lithuanian Navy received reports about the presence of Russian naval ships in Lithuania’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Baltic Sea, reports LETA/ELTA.
Russian naval vessels had ordered civilian ships sailing in the EEZ to change course due to conducted military exercise.
Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas said that even though the side which organises naval exercise has to ensure safety, still it is worrying that Russia has been organising military training involving Lithuanian EEZ territories.
Reacting to the aforementioned reports, Lithuania dispatched its naval vessel on duty Aukstaitis P14 which identified Steregushchy-class corvette of the Russian Federation Baltic fleet and one more anti-submarine warfare vessel. In addition, Mi-8 helicopter of the Lithuanian Air Force flew to the location and took photos of the presence of Russian ships.
The Russian corvette left Lithuanian EEZ at 2 p.m. while another vessel sailed off at 3 p.m.
Furthermore, at about 1 p.m. radars captured Russian military aircraft – two SU-24 and one SU-27. Therefore, Danish Air Force F-16 aircraft were launched from Estonian Amari air base which are conducting NATO Air Policing mission over the Baltics.
It is the second such incident when the Russian Federation military exercises obstruct civil navigation in Lithuania’s EEZ.
Source: The Baltic Course
http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=92055