Lithuania, Poland to coordinate drone investigations after shootdown

Lithuania and Poland plan to pool their forces to investigate drone incidents, LRT reported, after a drone was shot down by NATO fighter jets near Pratkūnai village in Kaišiadorys district.

The drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus and remained there for about 30 minutes. Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said it was carrying explosives, which were neutralised.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces have not confirmed the drone’s origin. However, experts examining the wreckage suspect it was Russian-made. Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, also said the threat had most likely come from Russia.

Residents near the crash site said they heard a loud impact and saw a flash. Kazys Pabiržis, who lives in Kruonis, said the explosion woke him and that the smell of gunpowder reached his home. Other residents described seeing fire falling from the sky.

Experts said the debris appeared consistent with Russian Geran or Gerbera drones. They noted the drone’s sound and the approximately 30 minutes it spent in Lithuanian airspace suggested it was powered by a propeller.

The drone was destroyed in the air by Italian pilots flying Eurofighter jets. According to Air Force Commander Colonel Antanas Matutis, the aircraft intercepted and destroyed the unmanned vehicle in accordance with established procedures after its crossing from Belarus could not be visually confirmed from the ground.

The drone flew south of Vilnius, through the areas of Lentvaris and Trakai. The road leading to the crash site was closed throughout the morning as police and military police worked there under the Shield plan.

Residents, including Ukrainians living nearby, said their homes shook during the incident. A Ukrainian resident said children became frightened when they heard the explosion and the fighter jets.

The Italian pilots had previously carried out a similar mission in Latvia, where a drone was shot down and airspace was closed.