Nato fighter pilots shot down a drone that entered Lithuania’s airspace overnight, according to President Gitanas Nausėda. Authorities stated the craft likely crossed from Belarus into southern Lithuania, near the city of Kaunas, shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
Incident Details and Official Response
- Presidential confirmation: Gitanas Nausėda stated on X, “A drone that just entered Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by Nato fighter jets.”
- Origin status: A spokesperson for the Lithuanian national crisis management centre confirmed the drone’s origin is yet to be determined.
- Alert status: Drone alerts sounded across the capital, Vilnius, and the surrounding region earlier on Tuesday.
- Presidential security stance: Nausėda 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.”
- Geopolitical context: Lithuania shares a significant southern and eastern border with Belarus, a key Russian ally.
- Regional trend: Military drone incursions have become increasingly common across Europe since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
