NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuania’s airspace overnight, according to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
Lithuanian authorities said the drone likely entered southern Lithuania near Kaunas shortly after midnight on Tuesday. The area borders Belarus, a close Russian ally. Nausėda said in a statement on X that NATO fighter jets destroyed the drone after it entered Lithuanian airspace. The origin of the drone has not yet been established.
Drone alerts were also triggered across Vilnius and the surrounding region earlier on Tuesday. Lithuania’s Defence Ministry said its armed forces and Italian pilots serving with NATO’s Air Defence Mission responded quickly to the incursion.
“With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region,” Nausėda said.
He added that Lithuania would defend its airspace alongside NATO allies.
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Moscow has not commented on the incident. The latest incursion comes days after Lithuania reported another suspected drone sighting on 13 September. Officials said that object likely entered from Belarus before crossing Lithuania and eventually entering Russian airspace. The incident did not trigger air threat alerts.
Military drone incursions have become more frequent across Europe since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Poland also reported aviation operations in its airspace on Monday night. Warsaw said the measures were prompted by Russian jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles carrying out strikes against Ukraine.
Similar incidents have occurred in the Baltic region. NATO jets have scrambled several times this year after stray Ukrainian drones entered the airspace of Estonia and Latvia.