NATO jets down drone over Lithuania airspace: officials

NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight, officials said on Tuesday, the day after the head of NATO said strikes close to its territory would only increase its support for Ukraine in its war against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Military officials in Lithuania, a NATO member, said the incident marked the first time that a drone had been shot down in its airspace. Authorities didn’t comment on the drone’s origin or purpose, saying the incident needed further investigation.

The drone in Lithuania was downed near the village of Pratkunai, about 60 miles (100 kilometres) west of the capital, Vilnius, and near the Kaunas Reservoir, Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre said on Tuesday.

Officials in NATO countries including Germany, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Poland have in recent weeks accused Russia of involvement in acts such as drone incursions, sabotage, arson, surveillance of defence facilities and planning to use a drone carrying explosives to attack an airport.

Rutte on Monday said strikes “close to NATO territory” showed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation and also his desire to sow fear and terror.” “Russia is growing increasingly reckless as it continues its terrible war against Ukraine,” Rutte said. He also pledged to bolster the 32-nation alliance’s own defences along its long eastern border with Russia and with Belarus, a Russian ally.

Drone likely’ to be carrying explosives

The menace of drones has repeatedly loomed over the skies of Lithuania, which shares borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

In May, residents of Vilnius were told to take shelter and the president and prime minister were taken to safe locations amid an alarm over drone activity near the border with Belarus.

Stray Ukrainian drones have also previously crossed the border into Baltic airspace, including in May when a NATO fighter jet shot down a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia.

Antanas Matutis, commander of the Lithuanian air force, said that the wreckage had been found, and the drone was “likely” carrying explosives.

Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the crisis center, told Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT that the drone most likely entered from Belarus. It remained in Lithuanian airspace for about 30 minutes and flew along the outskirts of populated areas before being intercepted, he said.