Lithuania’s Defence Ministry said the country’s armed forces, along with Italian pilots serving with the Nato Air Defence Mission, had responded swiftly to the incursion
Nato fighter jets have shot down a drone after it entered Lithuania airspace, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Tuesday. The drone is believed to have entered southern Lithuania from neighbouring Belarus shortly after midnight, authorities said.
The drone’s origins have not yet been established, according to a spokesperson for Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre.
Drone triggers alerts in Vilnius
Air raid-style drone alerts were sounded across the capital, Vilnius, and the surrounding region on Tuesday.
President Nauseda said on X that the drone had been destroyed by Nato aircraft. “A drone that just entered Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by NATO fighter jets,” he wrote.
Lithuania’s Defence Ministry said the country’s armed forces, along with Italian pilots serving with the Nato Air Defence Mission, had responded swiftly to the incursion.
Nauseda said the incident highlighted the importance of maintaining strong air defences as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues.
“With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region,” he said. “Together with our NATO Allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace.”
The incident comes as Lithuania, which borders Belarus and Russia, remains on heightened alert over potential security threats linked to the war in Ukraine.
Lithuania shares a large part of its southern and eastern border with Belarus, a key Russian ally.