Lithuania scrambles fighters after unidentified object prompts air alert

A likely air threat alert was issued for Vilnius County and Ukmergė as fighter jets searched for an unidentified object, LRT reported. Residents received warning messages on their mobile phones and were urged to identify a safe place.

The National Crisis Management Centre said Vilnius Airport’s controlled airspace had been temporarily closed because of unidentified flying objects. Centre head Vilmantas Vitkauskas told LRT Radio that residents had reported seeing a possible object beyond Vilnius, moving towards Jonava, but the reports could not be confirmed.

Vitkauskas said an alert could also be issued in Kaunas District. The object had not been identified, and authorities did not rule out that it could be a flock of birds, although its parameters were similar to those of a drone. Centre representative Darius Buta said the object had entered Lithuania from Belarus.

Ukmergė Mayor Darius Varnas said residents were going about their usual activities while local officials remained on standby and in contact with the centre. He said they had received information about an object near the Belarusian border about 57 minutes earlier and a warning of a possible air threat in Ukmergė about 30 minutes earlier. He urged residents to follow updates and be prepared.

During an air threat warning, residents are advised to go to the nearest marked shelter or another safe place, such as a basement or an interior room without windows. A safe place should have at least two walls between a person and the outside of the building. People should avoid windows, balconies, lifts and open spaces.