Farm camera captures possible missile blast during drone interception

A surveillance camera at a homestead in Biržai district may have captured the moment a missile fired at a drone exploded, LRT reported. The footage shows a flash of sparks and records a loud bang, but there has been no official confirmation that it shows a missile explosion.

NATO air defence mission fighter jets tried twice to shoot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight but failed, with poor weather cited as a factor. Debris from a fighter-launched missile was found in a remote forest area in Biržai district.

Lebeniškiai village resident Almantas said phone alerts woke his family during the night. He later heard a loud impact that he said shook the house. Other residents reported hearing a sound like an explosion and seeing a flash.

Residents said they learned in the morning that a missile used in an attempt to intercept the drone had fallen near their homes, close to Eiminiškiai village.

Giedrius Premeneckas, chief of the Lithuanian military’s Defence Staff, said the drone could not initially be engaged because it was flying over an urban area. As it flew towards Panevėžys, NATO mission fighter jets had two opportunities to shoot it down. The military commander said the fighter that made the second attempt encountered problems.

The military believes the drone may have been Ukrainian and intended for Russia.