Utena district mayor says authorities failed to notify local government about downed drone

Local officials in Utena district were not informed by state services about a suspected military drone crash in the area, mayor Marijus Kaukėnas told LRT and ELTA on Monday.

The drone was discovered Sunday evening in a field near Samanė village after reportedly violating Lithuanian airspace. National Crisis Management Centre officials stated the device—believed to be of Ukrainian origin—was found by a local resident cutting grass. No explosives were detected in the wreckage, and fragments suggest it does not resemble a Shahed-model drone. Search operations resumed Monday morning, with some debris visible on the surface while other parts remain embedded in the ground.

Kaukėnas confirmed that neither he nor the municipality received official notification about the incident. “Neither yesterday nor today were we informed. I only have information from the media,” he said, adding that residents have grown concerned and are seeking answers. “People turn to us first for information. They call, ask questions on social media, but we have nothing to tell them. It’s very difficult when you can’t respond, reassure people, or offer guidance.”

The mayor learned of the crash from Ukmergė district’s mayor, who shared a media link. “He sent me a message saying, ‘Thank you for letting me know—I wouldn’t have found out otherwise that a drone fell in our district,’” Kaukėnas remarked with irony. He expressed hope for improved communication in the future, emphasising local government’s responsibility to residents.

Laura Gaivenienė, elder of the nearby Sudeikiai district, reported that residents remain calm. “Moods are normal; people are reacting quite normally,” she said, noting relief that the drone landed in an unpopulated field rather than a residential area. “Thank God it was a meadow. Samanė village has only four declared residents, and no homes were nearby. That’s reassuring—thank God it didn’t fall in Utena or a town.”

Gaivenienė added that previous drone incidents in Lithuania have reduced surprise among locals. “From the seniors and workers I’ve spoken to, the reaction is normal. These things happen here or there—people take it in stride.”

Security measures remain in place, with Utena County Police maintaining a presence overnight under Operation *Skydas* (Shield) as investigations continue.