A Drone Flew Into Lithuania From Belarus For The First Time
- 15.09.2026, 7:37
He was shot down by NATO planes.
On the night of September 14–15, a yellow-level air threat was declared in Lithuania due to a drone that violated Lithuanian airspace. NATO fighter jets soon shot it down.
This was reported by Delfi, citing a post by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on social media platform X.
According to media reports, on the night of September 15, the Lithuanian Armed Forces issued a warning about a potential aerial threat. It soon became known that the cause was a drone that had entered the country from Belarus.
A short time later, the head of the Crisis Management Center Vilmantas Vitkauskas reported that the drone had been destroyed.
“Yes, a minute ago I received information about the successful destruction of the drone,” he said.
Later, the Center clarified that the drone was destroyed in the Kaišiadorys District, near the village of Pratkunai. According to preliminary data, the drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarusian territory.
A short time later, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda also officially confirmed that a drone had been flying over the country and that NATO fighter jets had successfully shot it down.
“The drone, which had just entered Lithuanian airspace, was shot down by NATO fighter jets. I thank our allies’ personnel for their swift response. As Russia’s aggression against Ukraine intensifies, this readiness is vital for our region. Together with our NATO allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace,” he concluded.
The drone was shot down by Italian military personnel participating in the NATO mission to defend the airspace of the Baltic states, according to the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
“Let’s not jump to conclusions. An investigation will be conducted, and all circumstances will be assessed. The fact is that such incidents will not become less frequent; the most important thing at the moment is neutralizing the threat and ensuring there is no danger to the population. We thank our allies for their prompt response and precise shot,” the Lithuanian military stated.
An unidentified object was spotted in Lithuanian airspace around midnight. Italian fighter jets took off from the Šiauliai Air Base to intercept it. At around 12:20 a.m., the military identified the object as a drone and shot it down.
The drone’s wreckage was found near the village of Pratkunai in the Kaišiadorys District, not far from Kaunas. The area has been cordoned off, and military and civilian police are on the scene. There is no threat to local residents.
It is noted that this is the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that a drone has been shot down over Lithuanian territory. Just two days earlier, an air raid alert had been issued in the country and a NATO fighter jet had been scrambled; however, the radar blips turned out to be a flock of birds.