Lithuania received no Belarus warning before drone entered airspace

Lithuania received no notification from Belarus about a drone flying towards the country before it was shot down, Air Force Commander Colonel Antanas Matutis said, according to LRT.

The drone entered Lithuanian airspace after flying from Belarus and was destroyed near Pratkūnai village in Kaišiadorys District. Italian fighter jets serving in the NATO air policing mission took off from Šiauliai Air Base, visually identified the unmanned aircraft and brought it down.

Drone debris was found in the area, where Lithuanian military and police forces are working. The aircraft is believed to have been carrying an explosive charge. Because it was destroyed in the air, its debris was scattered over a wide area.

Matutis said the Lithuanian military detected the object on radar shortly before midnight. The radar signature met criteria indicating that it was likely an unmanned aircraft, but the object could not be visually confirmed from the ground. NATO air policing aircraft were therefore deployed to intercept it.

The military has not commented on whether the drone was Russian or Ukrainian while investigators collect and examine the debris.

Matutis also said there was currently no information indicating that the drone had been targeting the Kruonis Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant. He said further details could emerge after a more thorough examination of the debris.

Responding to questions about why the drone flew over Vilnius, Matutis said Lithuania was not at war and did not fire at every object in the air. Objects must first be identified using visual and other parameters, he said, adding that Vilnius is relatively far from the border.

The drone remained over Lithuanian territory for about half an hour and was shot down at around 12:20 a.m., according to the Lithuanian military. Residents in Vilnius, Trakai, Elektrėnai and later Kaunas County were urged to identify shelters or other safe places and await further recommendations.

A yellow warning was issued rather than a red one because a red alert is used when there is an imminent danger that a drone could strike, hit something or fall.