NATO Fighter Jets Shoot Down Drone Over Lithuania
NATO fighter jets shoot down a drone over Lithuania amid fears of Russian escalation.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said early Tuesday morning that NATO fighter jets shot down a drone over his country.
The Defense Ministry in Vilnius said the drone was shot down shortly after midnight by Italian Eurofighter jets.
Earlier, authorities had warned residents in several regions of the Baltic Sea-bordering country, a member of the European Union and NATO, of a potential aerial threat.
Details about the source and type of the downed drone were initially unavailable.
Nausėda added, “Amid Russia’s intensified aggression against Ukraine, this readiness is crucial for our region. In cooperation with our NATO allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace.”
It was reported that this was the first time a drone had been shot down over Lithuania.
Defense Minister Robertas Kunauskas emphasized that “local residents were notified in a timely manner, and the operation proceeded smoothly.”
Vytenis Andriukaitis, head of the National Crisis Management Center, said the drone was shot down over a rural area near the village of Pratkonys, about 50 kilometers southeast of Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city.
In statements to Lithuanian radio, Andriukaitis added that, based on initial findings, the drone may have entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarusian territory and remained in Lithuanian airspace for about half an hour.
Nausėda said Lithuania would issue a diplomatic note to Minsk and consult with its allies. He also called for a meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday.
Andriukaitis noted that there were no reports of casualties or damage so far.
He pointed out that drone wreckage had been found in the area where it was shot down and was currently being examined.
Lithuania borders Russia’s Baltic Sea-facing Kaliningrad exclave and shares a border with Belarus, a close ally of Moscow. Lithuania has felt particularly threatened since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to the Lithuanian government, the country’s military intelligence agencies possess information suggesting that Russia may be considering attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic states.
The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) are currently forming a German armored brigade in Lithuania.
This force, comprising 4,800 soldiers and capable of independent combat readiness and deployment, is expected to be operational by 2027.
