Fighter jets shoot down drone over Lithuania

LRT.lt reports that a drone was shot down in Lithuanian airspace overnight from Monday to Tuesday after entering the country from the direction of Belarus. The incident was followed by air-raid warnings in Vilnius and Kaunas counties.

Shortly before midnight, military radars detected an object approaching Lithuania from Belarusian territory. Colonel Antanas Matutis, commander of the Lithuanian Air Force, said the object itself was not visible at the time, but other indications suggested it could be an unmanned aircraft.

Belarus did not notify Lithuania about the drone, officials said on Tuesday.

At about 12:10 a.m., residents of Vilnius County received alerts about a possible air threat. People in Kaunas County were warned shortly afterwards to identify possible shelter and continue monitoring information. The drone travelled from the Belarusian border past southern Vilnius, Lentvaris, Trakai and Kaišiadorys.

At about 12:20 a.m., Italian fighter jets operated by Lithuania’s allies took off from the Šiauliai Air Base and shot down the identified drone. It fell over a homestead in the remote village of Pratkūnai in Kaišiadorys District.

The possible air threat was cancelled at 12:30 a.m. On Tuesday afternoon, explosives at the site where the drone debris fell were neutralised.

The area was cordoned off and guarded by the military, military police and Lithuanian police. Emergency medical workers and firefighters also arrived. Residents said they heard a loud noise, saw a flash and noticed an unusual smell when the drone was hit.

The incident occurred about five kilometres from the Kruonis hydroelectric pumped-storage plant. Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said the drone had entered Lithuania from Belarus. Its exact origin remains unclear; investigators will determine whether it was a Russian drone or a Ukrainian drone that had deviated from its course.