NATO Jets Shoot Down Drone Over Lithuania

NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace from neighboring Belarus overnight on September 15, Lithuanian authorities said.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda thanked the alliance for its rapid response, saying the incident showed the importance of maintaining strong air defenses as Russia continues its war against Ukraine.

“A drone that just entered Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by NATO fighter jets. I thank Allied personnel for their swift response,” Nauseda said in a post on X.

“With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region. Together with our NATO Allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace,” he added.

The drone entered from Belarus and flew over Lentvaris, near the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, before it was shot down near the central city of Kaunas, according to Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center.

Lithuanian authorities initially said they were investigating the drone to establish its type, technical specifications and intended target. “Forces were deployed to determine what type of drone it was, its specifications and its intended target,” Vitkauskas said.

The Lithuanian army later said the drone was “neutralized” at 12:20 a.m. local time and that its wreckage had been located. The aircraft was shot down by Italian fighter jets stationed at the NATO air base in Siauliai, in northern Lithuania. The drone fell in a rural area near Lake Kaunas, according to preliminary information cited by Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the NATO response sent “a clear message that NATO stands vigilant, committed, and ready.”

Lithuania borders both Belarus, a close Russian ally, and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. The country, as well as fellow NATO members Latvia and Estonia, has experienced drone and other airspace incidents since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The latest incident came a day after two Ukrainian officials said Russia was likely using Belarusian mobile networks and repeater stations on Belarusian territory to help maintain stable signals for Russian Shahed-type drones involved in mass attacks against Ukraine.

Russian drones have also violated NATO airspace on previous occasions. On September 8, a suspected Russian Shahed-type drone entered Moldovan and Romanian airspace, prompting airspace closures, emergency alerts and the scrambling of NATO fighter jets.