-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
Lithuanian authorities reported that an aerial object, likely a drone, crashed in the Varėna district near the border with Belarus on Monday, March 23.
In response to the incident, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has scheduled a meeting of the National Security Commission for Tuesday morning, according to RBK Ukraine.
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"Given the current situation, tomorrow at 10.00 I am calling a meeting of the National Security Commission, where all the circumstances related to this incident will be presented," she wrote.
Ruginienė assured the public that the object does not pose a direct threat to residents. She noted that emergency services and military assets were quickly deployed to the site.
"Police, the Fire and Rescue Department are working at the scene, an Air Force helicopter and other forces are heading to the scene – the “Shield” plan has been activated. The Lithuanian Army will regularly share all open information with the public as quickly as possible," the Prime Minister stated.
The National Crisis Management Center reported that the object fell near the village of Lavysas during the early hours of Monday. Military officials confirmed the presence of debris at the location.
"We confirm that wreckage is visible at the scene, police and the fire department are working, and an Air Force helicopter is also heading to the scene for observation," the Lithuanian military said.
Surveillance footage indicates the crash occurred at 3:04 a.m. Witnesses described seeing wreckage on the ice of a local lake. Official comments linked the incident to the broader security environment following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"As long as Russia's war in Ukraine continues, the probability of such incidents remains high, so Lithuania is investing in air defense and strengthening surveillance. However, we must admit that air defense is one of the biggest challenges facing NATO as a whole," Kaunas stated.
Plans are also in place for Lithuanian representatives to visit Ukraine soon to discuss innovations in air defense technology.
Kaunas added, "We have to accept the new reality, but we should not make excuses or shy away from responsibility – we have to work even harder to strengthen our air surveillance and defense capabilities."
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia planned to expand its network of ground control stations for long-range drones within both temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories and Belarus.
Following a briefing from Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence chief, Zelenskyy confirmed that four such stations were slated for deployment on Belarusian soil.
He also noted that while Russian forces had recently increased their offensive operations, these attempts resulted in over 8,000 Russian casualties in a single week and failed to meet the Kremlin's strategic goals.
