On July 12-13 arms control inspectors of the Republic of Ukraine carried out an observation flight over Lithuania on the basis of the Treaty on Open Skies in an An-30B aircraft with special equipment of the Ukrainian Air Force.

That was reported by Ministry of National Defence Republic of Lithuania.

According to regulations of the Treaty on Open Skies an observation flight can be carried out over the entire territory of a country except for the areas that could endanger safety of the flight.

Such observation flights are conducted in and by all the countries taking part in the Treaty on Open Skies to make sure arms control agreements in force are respected in a specific country. Lithuanian military instructors take part in such flights in other countries with NATO allies too.

The Treaty on Open Skies was signed on 24 March 1992 at a conference of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The document was endorsed to increase mutual trust and understanding among the signatory countries. Lithuania joined them in 2005.

This is the second arms control flight over Lithuania this year. The first one was conducted on June 14-15 by U.S. and Sweden’s inspectors in Swedish Air Force’s SAAB 340B aircraft with Special equipment.