The drone, which was likely to have entered from Belarus, was shot down near Pratkunai village in southern Lithuania, near Kaunas, the second-largest city
International News via Reuters:
An Italian NATO fighter jet shot down a drone over Lithuania shortly after midnight on Tuesday morning, the Lithuanian national crisis management centre said.
The drone, which was likely to have entered from Belarus, was shot down near Pratkunai village in southern Lithuania, near Kaunas, the second-largest city, the centre’s spokesperson said. Its origin had yet to be determined, he said.
Officials did not say whether the drone was believed to be Ukrainian or Russian. In recent months, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly entered NATO air space in the Baltic region. Kyiv says they were steered off course by Russian signal jamming.
A drone alert was issued earlier in the capital Vilnius and surrounding region.
The Lithuanian Army shared video from the site of the crash, showing debris scattered in grass. Some of the parts appeared to be made from wood and some appeared charred.
Fighters with the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission have patrolled the skies of 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.
Military drones straying into the airspace of Russia’s neighbours have stoked concerns that Russia’s war in Ukraine is spilling over NATO’s borders.
Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone attacks on Russia, including in the Baltic Sea area.
Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Stephen Coates
