Lithuania calls for stronger air defence after suspected Ukrainian drone crashes in lake

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Commission on Monday after a suspected Ukrainian drone crashed into a lake in Varėna district, highlighting gaps in the country’s air defence capabilities, LRT.lt reports.

Preliminary data suggests the drone, likely intended to strike Russia’s Primorsk oil depot, strayed off course due to electronic warfare interference. Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas confirmed the device was part of a larger Ukrainian attack on Russian infrastructure overnight.

“I want to appeal to the public—thank you for your vigilance and quick reporting,” Šimonytė told reporters after the meeting. She urged citizens to immediately alert authorities to any suspicious objects or movements, emphasising that “such incidents are not localised” as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues.

The crash exposed Lithuania’s limited ability to detect low-altitude threats. While the government has allocated a record defence budget—including €0.5 billion for radar and counter-drone systems—Anušauskas admitted integration delays mean full operational capacity won’t be achieved until 2030. Some ordered radars have arrived but remain unintegrated; others are still awaiting delivery.

Šimonytė criticised the global defence procurement system, comparing it unfavourably to consumer shopping: “I’d love for defence purchases to be as simple as buying milk or bread—walk in, choose what you need, and take it home today. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Countries receive quotas, and industrial capacity limits what’s available.” She stressed that while funding exists, production bottlenecks hinder rapid deployment.

Chief of Defence Lt. Gen. Valdemaras Rupšys acknowledged the urgency, noting that “what wasn’t done for decades must now be completed in months.” He confirmed all operational requirements had been submitted post-incident, with procurement timed to match real-world industrial output.

Anušauskas linked the stray drone to broader regional risks, stating that neighbouring states face spillover from Russia’s war. “The only way to prevent such incidents is to increase pressure on Moscow to stop the war,” he said, adding that President Vladimir Putin “could end it today if he chose to.”

The meeting follows a surge in global demand for defence technologies, with Lithuania competing alongside nations like Poland for limited supplies. Officials reiterated that while progress is underway, full airspace coverage will require time to train personnel and integrate new systems.