Lithuania’s drone warning system not functioning, issue to be discussed at State Defence Council

Lithuania’s early warning system for drones is not working properly, and the issue will be addressed at next week’s State Defence Council meeting, the president’s office confirmed on Sunday, LRT.lt reports.

Deividas Matulionis, chief advisor to President Gitanas Nausėda, acknowledged that the current system fails to alert the public when border guards detect unauthorized objects in Lithuanian airspace. “The warning system is not functioning as it should,” he said, adding that more attention and funding are needed to improve it.

Matulionis also criticized the slow pace of radar procurement, stating that the president’s office supports legal amendments to speed up acquisitions. “Transparency and speed are key when it comes to national defence procurement,” he said. He dismissed speculation that Ukraine uses Lithuanian airspace to attack Russia, noting that a group of Ukrainian experts will soon visit Lithuania to assist with drone defence.

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed that border guards had detected an unidentified flying object but could not confirm its type. He said Lithuania’s anti-drone system—comprising short-range radars and intercepting drones—is still in testing and could become operational within two months. “The algorithm works, but drones reach us faster than other threats, so it needs refinement,” he explained.

Kaunas denied claims that Lithuania had permitted Ukraine to use its airspace for military operations. “Lithuania has never allowed its air or land territory for any military actions,” he stressed, adding that Russia is the aggressor in Ukraine.

The discussion follows a drone crash in Utena district on Sunday, believed to be of Ukrainian origin. Earlier this year, another Ukrainian military drone crashed near the Belarus border after reportedly being disrupted by Russian electronic warfare. Similar incidents have increased in the Baltic Sea region in recent months.

President Nausėda warned this week that any unauthorised use of Lithuanian airspace by warring parties would violate sovereignty and international law.