Lithuania says drone entered from Belarus, debris recovered near Kaunas
The drone entered Lithuanian airspace from neighboring Belarus, Vilmantas Vitkauskas, chief of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center, told local radio. Vitkauskas said the aircraft flew south of Vilnius and was shot down near the Kaunas Reservoir. He said the wreckage would be analyzed to determine its origin, the purpose of its flight and whether it was a combat drone.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces, in a statement, said the drone was intercepted by Italian fighter jets scrambled from the northern Lithuanian city of Siauliai. The armed forces said debris from the drone was found and recovered.
President Nauseda tied the interception to Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine. “With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region,” Nauseda said in a statement. “Together with our NATO allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace.”
Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys thanked the allied pilots. “Sincere thanks to our allies, whose presence helps protect our skies and strengthens our security,” Budrys said in a statement Tuesday. He added: “This is [the] best example of allied unity and resolve in action — sending a clear message that NATO stands vigilant, committed and ready.”
Around the same time as the Lithuanian incident, Poland announced it had scrambled jets to perform “aviation operations” in Polish airspace as Russian drones struck western Ukraine. A few hours later, Poland’s Operational Command of the Armed Forces said the operations had concluded and that no violation of Polish airspace by the Russian drones had been recorded.
Drones have repeatedly entered NATO airspace during the war, with NATO forces downing several of them. The incident comes after Russia launched a drone strike on a train at a station close to the border with Poland on Sunday. Almost exactly a month ago, NATO forces shot down a drone that had entered Latvian airspace.