Drones Trigger Red Alert Across Lithuania; NATO Jets Respond

(MENAFN) NATO fighter jets were scrambled twice overnight as suspected drone incursions set off air alerts across large areas of Lithuania, officials said Wednesday. At least one drone crossed into Lithuanian airspace before continuing into Latvia, according to the national public broadcaster.

The first yellow alert covered the Vilnius and Utena regions and went out at about 11 pm Tuesday (2000GMT). It was lifted shortly after midnight.

A second alert followed, starting in the Alytus region before widening to parts of central and northern Lithuania. It was raised to red, with residents urged to take shelter.

Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre, said three drones were first detected in Belarus, but none entered Lithuanian airspace during the first incident. One later flew into Latvia.

In the second incident, a drone is believed to have crossed from Belarus near the southern town of Druskininkai. It then flew north over several regions and left Lithuanian airspace near Pasvalys.

Vitkauskas said NATO fighter jets detected the object but did not shoot it down, possibly because of poor weather or safety concerns.

The alerts also disrupted air travel. Vilnius and Kaunas airports closed temporarily, and three flights at Vilnius Airport, carrying more than 400 passengers, were affected, Vitkauskas said.

In Latvia, the National Armed Forces issued an airspace threat warning early Wednesday for several municipalities. The military activated drone interceptors and air defense units, along with NATO air policing jets.

The number of drones involved remains unclear, as does whether any crashed or were shot down.

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