Lithuania summoned a Russian diplomat in protest over what it said was the entry of two Russian planes into its airspace Thursday, though Moscow denied any such violation.

A Sukhoi SU-30 fighter and an IL-78 tanker from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad passed through Lithuanian airspace for 700 metres (2,300 feet) before leaving it after 18 seconds, probably during aerial refuelling training, according to a short statement from the NATO member country's military.

Later Thursday, the Lithuanian foreign ministry said it had summoned the charge d'affaires from the Russian embassy and issued a "strong protest".

Vilnius urged Russia to "immediately explain" the reasons for the violation of Lithuanian airspace and to take "all necessary measures to prevent such incidents from happening agai

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