Air threat alert lifted in Vilnius and Utena counties

An air threat alert issued for Vilnius and Utena counties on Tuesday evening was lifted shortly after midnight, LRT reported.

Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Center, said NATO air policing fighters were scrambled after an unidentified object was detected coming from Belarus. He said the available signs indicated it was a drone.

Residents are advised that if they hear the civil protection signal for an air threat, they should go as quickly as possible to the nearest marked shelter or another safe place and wait for further instructions.

The previous air threat alert was issued on October 18 for Panevėžys and Šiauliai counties after an object entered Lithuanian airspace. It was lifted about an hour later.