NATO fighter jets to conduct training exercises in northern Lithuania

NATO fighter jets will carry out pre-planned training exercises in northern Lithuania on Thursday as part of the alliance’s air policing mission, the Lithuanian Air Force announced.

Residents may hear loud, explosion-like noises during the drills due to aircraft breaking the sound barrier, authorities said. The Air Force urged the public to remain calm if such sounds are heard, emphasising that the pilots are training to ensure airspace security.

The NATO air policing mission in the Baltic states is currently being executed from Lithuania and Estonia. French forces, supported by Romanian personnel, took over the mission in Lithuania earlier this week.