Motuzas says Lithuania would respond more closely to drone incidents
Friday 14th August 2026 on 13:15 in
Lithuania
Lithuanian authorities would respond more carefully to possible drone incidents than they did in the past, Remigijus Motuzas, chair of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee, said, according to LRT. He said the country was strengthening its air defence and developing a unified system for institutions to respond to such events.
“Our services are genuinely more attentive in the current situation,” Motuzas, a Social Democrat, said on the ELTA Kampas programme. He added that Lithuania’s air defence had been reinforced following the NATO summit in Ankara.
Motuzas said institutions had previously worked largely separately, but were now cooperating within a unified response system.
“Society should not be frightened by such cases, but I believe that Lithuanian institutions and the Lithuanian Armed Forces are prepared, and that a great deal is being done to ensure an appropriate response in the future,” he said.
His comments followed an incident early on Friday in which NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that had entered Latvian airspace near Lake Boževa, about five kilometres from the centre of Rugāji village in Balvi municipality.
Several drone incidents have also been recorded in Lithuania this year. In March, a Ukrainian drone that had gone off course fell into a lake in Varėna district and exploded. It was not detected by either the Lithuanian Armed Forces or border guards.
In May, a drone carrying explosive materials fell and broke apart in Utena district. The object was not detected by radar, and residents alerted the authorities.
The incidents renewed debate over responses to possible airspace violations and the need to strengthen air defence. In May, Lithuania issued an air-raid warning for the first time since the restoration of statehood, declaring a red threat level in Vilnius County. An air-raid warning was also issued in Utena County on May 21 after two drones were reported to have entered Lithuanian territory. The most recent warning was issued in Vilnius County on June 13.
Similar incidents have recently been recorded in other Baltic states, according to LRT.