- Category
- World
NATO Jets Shoot Down Drone Over Lithuania After It Likely Entered From Belarus
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
NATO fighter jets shot down an unidentified drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight on September 15, likely from Belarus, Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported.
The drone crossed into Lithuania shortly after midnight, prompting authorities to issue an air alert in several areas. Around 30 minutes later, it was intercepted and shot down over the Kaunas region by NATO aircraft operating from the Šiauliai Air Base.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
The Lithuanian military said the interception was carried out by Italian fighter jets.
Debris from the drone was later found in a rural area, where police secured and cordoned off the site.
Preliminary information indicates that the drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus before traveling westward.
“Yes, from Belarus. Then Lentvaris, Trakai district, that is where the object was moving west,” the head of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center told LRT Radio, describing the drone’s initial trajectory.
Lithuanian authorities said an investigation would be conducted before conclusions are drawn about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“We will not rush to conclusions. An investigation will be conducted and all the circumstances will be assessed. The fact is that such incidents will not become less frequent. The most important thing at this point is that the threat has been neutralized and no longer poses a danger to the population. We thank our allies for their swift response and precise shot,” the Lithuanian military said.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, currently on a working visit to Finland, also addressed the airspace violation, saying on X that NATO fighter jets had intercepted and destroyed the drone shortly after it entered Lithuanian airspace.
“I thank Allied personnel for their swift response. With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region. Together with our NATO Allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace,” he wrote.
A drone that just entered Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by NATO fighter jets. I thank Allied personnel for their swift response.
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) September 14, 2026
With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region. Together with our NATO Allies, Lithuania will…
The interception follows another drone-related alert in Lithuania just two days earlier. On September 13, authorities issued an air alert over a suspected drone threat near Vilnius and temporarily suspended operations at the country’s main international airport while the unidentified aerial object was investigated.
LRT reported that a yellow-level air alert was activated at around 1:00 p.m. local time for Vilnius and the surrounding region, as well as the Trakai and Elektrėnai areas.
Flights at Vilnius Airport were temporarily suspended as a precaution. Although the yellow-level warning did not indicate an immediate threat, residents were advised to identify their nearest shelter in case authorities raised the alert level to red.
The latest incident also comes amid concerns over Belarusian support for Russian aerial operations against Ukraine. Belarus continues to provide Russia with access to its territory to facilitate attacks on Ukraine.
According to State Border Guard Service spokesperson Andrii Demchenko, infrastructure on Belarusian territory has been used to relay signals supporting Russian aerial strikes on Ukraine’s western regions, including Rivne, Volyn, and Lviv.
Discuss this article:
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
