NATO pilots shoot down unidentified drone in Lithuanian airspace

Nato fighter pilots shot down an unidentified drone that entered Lithuanian airspace shortly after midnight on Tuesday, Lithuanian authorities said, as the Baltic states remain on alert over airspace incursions linked to the war in Ukraine.

According to the BBC, the drone likely crossed into southern Lithuania from neighbouring Belarus near Kaunas, authorities said.

Italian pilots serving with Nato's air defence mission worked with the Lithuanian armed forces to destroy the drone, while air threat alerts were activated in Vilnius and the surrounding region.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda confirmed the interception on social media, saying rapid readiness was vital as Russia intensifies its aggression against Ukraine. He also said Lithuania would defend its airspace alongside its Nato allies.

Authorities have not yet determined the origin of the drone. Moscow has not issued a statement regarding the incident.

The incident follows another suspected airspace incursion on Sunday, when an object believed to have entered Lithuania from Belarus crossed Lithuanian territory before entering Russian airspace without triggering alerts.

Earlier in May, a drone alert in Vilnius prompted residents to take shelter and briefly disrupted flights and train services.

Nato aircraft have also scrambled several times this year to shoot down stray drones in neighbouring Estonia and Latvia. Ukraine has attributed such flights to Russian electronic warfare that disrupts drone navigation systems.

Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have been members of Nato since 2004 and are covered by the alliance's Article 5, which states that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all.