NATO fighter jets patrolling the airspace of the Baltic states will carry out pre-planned training flights over northern Lithuania on Monday, the country's air force has said, warning residents that they could hear loud bangs resembling explosions caused by aircraft breaking the sound barrier.
“We ask you to share this information with your relatives, remain calm and not be alarmed – pilots are training to ensure the security of our airspace,” the air force said in the statement.
The flights are part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, under which allied fighter jets patrol the skies over Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – none of which operate their own fighter aircraft – from bases in Lithuania and Estonia.
The mission has taken on added significance since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as NATO has stepped up its presence along its eastern flank.
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