Tuesday 15 / September / 2026
Vilnius: A drone which entered Lithuanian airspace in the early hours of Tuesday morning was shot down by NATO fighter jets in between the cities of Vilnius and Kaunas, Lithuanian authorities have confirmed.
Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) said the drone most likely came from neighbouring Belarus, an ally of Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine, and was flying west when it was shot down by an Italian jet.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda thanked the military alliance for its "swift response."
"With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region," he wrote on social media. "Together with our NATO Allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace."
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the NATO response sent "a clear message that NATO stands vigilant, committed, and ready."
President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda speaks with members of the media during the arrival at Arktikum science centre during The European Arctic Summit, in Rovaniemi, Finland, on September 14, 2026
Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the NKVC, told Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT that the drone most likely entered from Belarus and flew along the outskirts of populated areas for about 30 minutes before being intercepted.
The Lithuanian armed forces published video from the site of the crash near the village of Pratkunai, close to Lithuania's second-largest city, Kaunas, and about 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of the capital, Vilnius.
The footage showed debris scattered in grass. Some of the parts appeared to be made from wood and some appeared charred.
The commander of the Lithuanian air force, Antanas Matutis, said that the drone had "likely" been carrying explosives.
Lithuania: Was the drone from Russia or Ukraine?
Officials have not indicated whether the drone was Russian or Ukrainian.
While Russia has been launching almost daily drone and missile strikes against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion over four years ago, Ukraine has also been responding with drone strikes of its own.
Ukrainian drones, which often pass close to Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian airspace en route to targets in northwestern Russia, have occasionally been jammed by Russian defenses and steered off course into NATO airspace.
Fighter jets with the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission have patrolled the skies over Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia since the Baltic countries joined the alliance in 2004. The mission's jets shot down stray Ukrainian drones over Estonia in May, and over Latvia in June and August.
The Lithuanian military said Tuesday's incident marked the first time that a drone had been shot down in its airspace.
How has NATO responded?
Tuesday's incident came less than 24 hours after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that strikes "close to the alliance's territory" would drive the trans-Atlantic organization to increase its support for Ukraine.
"Russia is growing increasingly reckless as it continues its terrible war against Ukraine," he said, adding that drone strikes and incursions near NATO territory showed Russian President Vladimir Putin's "desperation" and "desire to sow fear and terror."
On Tuesday, Poland, a NATO ally and neighbor of Lithuania, also announced "aviation operations" had commenced in its airspace "due to the activity of Russian Federation's jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles conducting strikes on Ukrainian territory."
These actions are of a "preventive nature" and are aimed at "securing airspace and its protection, especially in areas adjacent to threatened regions," said authorities in Warsaw.
Germany's armed forces, the Bundeswehr, are also currently building up a German armoured brigade in Lithuania. The combat-ready and independently deployable force, comprising 4,800 troops, is expected to be operational by 2027.Vilnius
