A drone that entered Lithuanian airspace was shot down overnight on September 14–15 by Italian fighters assigned to NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission. The incident led to temporary restrictions affecting Vilnius Airport and its surrounding airspace.
Italian fighters scrambled from Šiauliai
Lithuania’s armed forces and National Crisis Management Centre said the object was detected shortly before midnight while moving through national airspace. Italian allied fighters based at Šiauliai Air Base were scrambled under NATO’s air-policing mission.
The Lithuanian military said the identified drone was destroyed at around 00:20. Debris was later found near Pratkūnai in the Kaišiadorys district, close to the Kaunas reservoir. A security perimeter was established and military and national police began recovery and examination work.
Vilnius Airport temporarily affected
Lithuanian Airports said operations at Vilnius Airport and the associated airspace were temporarily restricted during the alert. Warning messages were also sent to residents in several areas, including Vilnius, Trakai and Elektrėnai. The alert was lifted after the drone was neutralized.
Origin remains under investigation
Early indications pointed to a possible entry from Belarus, but the exact origin, model and mission of the aircraft had not been established. Lithuanian authorities urged caution until debris analysis is completed.
The incident is particularly sensitive because the drone was neutralized near the Kruonis pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, against a backdrop of heightened security vigilance on NATO’s eastern flank.
Sources
LRT / Lithuanian Armed Forces and National Crisis Management Centre; Associated Press; EFE.
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