Moscow suggests career change for Lithuanian MOD official

Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene has called for shooting down Russian jets

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene should return to her professional field of legal psychology due to her phobia of Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS on Saturday.

Zakharova ridiculed Sakaliene’s suggestion that Russian jets near NATO borders should be shot down following claims that three MiG-31s violated Estonian airspace – allegations Moscow has denied.

“The psychology major demonstrated expertise in addressing her own phobias. We wish the ‘Master of Legal Psychology’ success working in her own field,” Zakharova said, referring to the Lithuanian official’s degree.

According to Sakaliene, three Russian jets “tested” NATO’s north-east border earlier this week.

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“We need to mean business. PS. Türkiye set an example 10 years ago. Some food for thought,” she wrote on X on Friday.

In 2015, Ankara shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber taking part in anti-terrorist operations in Syria, claiming it violated Turkish airspace. The Russian Defense Ministry denied the allegations, accusing Turkish jets of invading Syrian airspace and ambushing the Su-24.

Relations between Moscow and the NATO country plunged to an unprecedented low following the incident. Russia retaliated with an embargo on Turkish imports and the tourist industry. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent an apology letter in 2016.