NATO jets down drone after airspace incursion over Lithuania

NATO fighter pilots shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight, according to the Lithuanian president. Authorities said the aircraft likely crossed into southern Lithuania near Kaunas shortly after midnight on Tuesday. Drone alerts were also triggered in Vilnius and the surrounding region earlier in the day.

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President Gitanas Nausėda said in a statement that the drone was destroyed by NATO fighter jets. A spokesperson for Lithuania's national crisis management centre said the drone's origin had not yet been determined. Lithuania's Ministry of Defence said the country's armed forces and Italian pilots serving in the NATO Air Defence Mission responded swiftly and responsibly.

The incident prompted immediate concern in the capital and nearby areas, where residents were warned by the alert system. The report said the drone likely came from neighbouring Belarus, although officials stopped short of confirming that as the final assessment. Lithuania shares a long southern and eastern border with Belarus, which is a close ally of Russia.

The episode comes amid heightened sensitivity across the Baltic region over drone incursions and airspace violations linked to the war in Ukraine. Nausėda said that with Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, readiness remains vital for the region. He added that Lithuania would defend its airspace together with NATO allies.

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Drone incidents have become more frequent in Europe since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. The report noted that residents in Vilnius were forced to take shelter in May after a drone alert, which briefly disrupted flights and rail travel. It also said NATO jets have been scrambled several times this year to deal with stray drones that crossed into Estonia and Latvia.

Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia joined NATO in 2004 and are covered by the alliance's collective defence commitment under Article 5. That makes airspace incidents in the region politically significant even when the origin of a drone is unclear. What remains unresolved is where the drone came from and whether it was deliberately sent across the border.

Officials are still determining the origin, and further details are expected as the investigation continues.

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