NATO jets fail twice to shoot down drone over Lithuania

NATO fighter jets tracked a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight and twice tried to shoot it down, but both attempts failed, LRT reported, citing Lithuanian military and crisis management officials. Fragments of a missile that missed the drone were found in Biržai district.

The drone was detected at about 1.20 a.m. after three other drones were spotted on the Belarusian side of the border; those aircraft did not enter Lithuania and were moving towards Latvia. The fourth drone flew from Belarus into Lithuania, briefly entered Poland, then turned back into Lithuanian airspace before later flying into Latvia.

Military officials said NATO jets identified the drone near Kaunas but initially did not fire because it was over an urban area. They later made two attempts to destroy it. One missile missed, and its remains were found in Biržai district. The drone’s type is not yet known. A military official said it was possible the aircraft had been disrupted during a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on Russia that night.

Air-raid alerts were issued in several parts of Lithuania, including red or yellow warnings in many districts. The nationwide threat was lifted at about 2.30 a.m.

The head of the National Crisis Management Centre, Vilmantas Vitkauskas, called it probably the most restless night in the country’s history. He said around 10 reports of meteorological balloons had also led to restrictions on airport landings. Three flights were affected, and about 470 passengers had to change their plans.