Lithuania suspects Russia is redirecting drones but doubts its precision targeting

Lithuania’s defence minister believes Russia is using electronic warfare to divert Ukrainian drones off course, though he questions whether Moscow can deliberately guide them toward Baltic airspace, *LRT* reports.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas stated that while Russia’s ability to disrupt drone navigation is confirmed, its capacity for targeted redirection remains uncertain. “If they could do it deliberately, we would likely see not one or two drones, but hundreds diverted toward the Baltic states,” he said.

Kaunas described the repeated drone incursions as a consequence of Russia’s war in Ukraine, emphasising that Moscow holds the power to end the conflict. “This is a result of the war Russia started,” he said. “Russia can stop it.”

The comments follow a recent air threat alert in Lithuania’s Utena district after radar detected an unidentified object, suspected to be a drone. Authorities activated NATO fighter jets and issued emergency warnings to residents, urging them to seek shelter. The alert, the first of its kind since Lithuania’s independence, was lifted within 90 minutes after the object vanished from radar.

Lithuania has previously recorded drone violations in its airspace, alongside similar incidents in Latvia, Estonia, and Finland. Kaunas announced that Ukrainian air defence specialists will arrive in the coming weeks to advise on countering stray drones. “They will help assess our preparedness and share their experience,” he said.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė dismissed Russian claims that Baltic states had permitted Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory as “disinformation and propaganda.” She reiterated that Lithuania and its neighbours have never authorised such operations, calling on Moscow to “separate truth from lies” and end its aggression.

Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko separately acknowledged the impact of Russian propaganda but did not address the drone incidents directly.

Tags: drones, Lithuania, Russia