Lithuania sees surge in drone disinformation linked to Russia, crisis chief warns

False reports about drone sightings in Lithuania—including AI-generated images of non-existent incidents—are spreading online, with traces of the disinformation campaign leading back to Russia, the head of the National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) has warned.

Speaking on LRT Television’s Svarbi valanda programme, NKVC director Vilmantas Vitkauskas said the wave of fake claims, including hoax calls to emergency services, appears designed to disrupt official responses. Callers reporting drone crashes via the 112 hotline have been traced to Moscow, he noted.

“This is a new tactic to mislead us,” Vitkauskas said. “While we also see traditional disinformation—like a fake AI-generated video of a drone near Visaginas—the key message is that the public must stay vigilant. After any real incident, the information vacuum gets filled with false reports.”

He urged residents to verify claims only through official channels and avoid sharing unverified content. “Form your understanding of the situation based on trusted sources,” Vitkauskas added.

The warnings follow a string of alleged drone violations in Lithuanian airspace, though authorities have not confirmed direct links to the disinformation surge.