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Nato Jets Down Drone That Entered Lithuanian Airspace
Confirmed
In Short: Nato fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuania's airspace overnight, prompting alerts and a swift response from Lithuanian and Italian forces.
Nato fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuania's airspace overnight, according to the Lithuanian president. The drone likely entered from Belarus, near the city of Kaunas, shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
The Lithuanian national crisis management centre stated that the origins of the drone are still unknown. Military and Italian pilots serving in the Nato Air Defence Mission responded quickly, ensuring the airspace was secured.
Earlier drone sightings were reported in Lithuania, with alerts sounding across the capital Vilnius and surrounding regions. At 00:20 local time, the identified drone was destroyed by Italian fighters launched from Šiauliai Air Base.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces confirmed that missile weaponry was used in the shootdown, and the crash site was near the Kruonis Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant. The Lithuanian Air Force commander noted that the incident did not produce enough additional indications to justify a red-level warning.
What's confirmed
- Nato fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuania's airspace overnight, according to the Lithuanian president. The drone likely entered from Belarus, near the city of Kaunas, shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
- The Lithuanian national crisis management centre stated that the origins of the drone are still unknown. Military and Italian pilots serving in the Nato Air Defence Mission responded quickly, ensuring the airspace was secured.
- Earlier drone sightings were reported in Lithuania, with alerts sounding across the capital Vilnius and surrounding regions. At 00:20 local time, the identified drone was destroyed by Italian fighters launched from Šiauliai Air Base.
- The Lithuanian Armed Forces confirmed that missile weaponry was used in the shootdown, and the crash site was near the Kruonis Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant. The Lithuanian Air Force commander noted that the incident did not produce enough additional indications to justify a red-level warning.
What's still developing
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- Shortly after midnight local time (21:00 GMT), alerts were sent to phones in the region, warning of a potential drone and telling residents to "find a safe place" and "wait for the all clear".
- Military drone incursions have become increasingly common across Europe since the beginning of Russia's full-scale of invasion of Ukraine.
- Poland also announced there had been "aviation operations" in its airspace on Monday night "due to the activity of Russian Federation's jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles conducting strikes on Ukrainian territory".
- These actions are of a "preventive nature" and are aimed at "securing airspace and its protection, especially in areas adjacent to threatened regions", it added.
- The Baltic states have recently reported regular incursions by drones into their territory.
- Authorities have not yet identified the drone or established its origin.
- The shootdown came two days after NATO fighter jets launched from Šiauliai Air Base identified a flock of birds as the object behind a yellow air alert that suspended traffic at Vilnius Airport for 38 minutes on September 13, 2026.