NATO jets shoot down drone over Lithuania

NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight, Lithuanian officials said Tuesday, in what the country’s military described as the first such interception of a drone over Lithuania.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced the downing on X, writing: “A drone that just entered Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by NATO fighter jets.” He added: “With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region. Together with our NATO Allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace.”

Authorities said the drone most likely entered southern Lithuania from neighboring Belarus shortly after midnight. Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center said it was brought down near the village of Pratkūnai in the Kaišiadorys district, about 60 miles, or 100 kilometers, west of Vilnius and near the Kaunas Reservoir. Vilmantas Vitkauskas, the head of the crisis center, told Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT that the drone remained in Lithuanian airspace for about 30 minutes and flew along the outskirts of populated areas before it was intercepted.

The drone’s origin and purpose have not been determined. A spokesperson for the crisis management center said further investigation was needed. Antanas Matutis, commander of the Lithuanian air force, said the wreckage had been found and the drone “likely” was carrying explosives, NPR reported.

Drone alerts sounded across Vilnius and the surrounding region earlier Tuesday. Shortly after midnight local time, warnings were sent to phones telling residents of a potential drone incursion and urging them to “find a safe place” and “wait for the all clear.”

Lithuania’s Ministry of Defence said the country’s armed forces and Italian pilots serving in NATO’s Air Defence Mission “showed a swift and responsible response” to the incursion. The UK’s Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Thanks to the swift and professional actions of Lithuanian and Italian forces, Nato once again demonstrated our readiness to protect our airspace. We stand united, around the clock, in defence of every inch of Nato territory.”

Moscow has not commented on the incident.

The debris, described by the BBC as widely scattered, is expected to be collected and examined to determine who owned the drone, whether it was armed and whether it was launched toward Lithuania deliberately or strayed off course.

The incident came less than a day after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said at alliance headquarters in Brussels that strikes “close to NATO territory” showed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation and also his desire to sow fear and terror.” Rutte said “Russia is growing increasingly reckless as it continues its terrible war against Ukraine” and pledged to strengthen NATO defenses along its eastern border.

Lithuania, a strong supporter of Ukraine, borders Belarus, a key Russian ally, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Drone sightings were also reported in Lithuania on Sunday, when the crisis management center later said an object had “likely” entered from Belarus, crossed Lithuanian territory and then entered Russian airspace. That incident did not trigger air threat alerts.

Poland said Monday night that it had conducted “aviation operations” in its airspace because of Russian jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles carrying out strikes on Ukrainian territory. Polish officials said the actions were preventive and intended to secure and protect airspace, especially near threatened areas.

Russian drone strikes also continued in Ukraine. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said Tuesday that eight people had been wounded in strikes on Kyiv since the start of the day. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 222 Ukrainian drones overnight, while a regional governor said a “massive” Ukrainian drone attack sparked fires and damaged buildings in the Russian city of Taganrog.