Lithuania says drone sighting turns out to be flock of birds, after NATO summons jets
NATO fighter jets reopened the airport after a visual check showed the object was birds, and the air alert lasted 38 minutes, officials said.
- On Sunday, Lithuanian authorities temporarily closed Vilnius International Airport after detecting a suspected drone sighting. The National Crisis Management Centre confirmed the object was a flock of birds, and the airport reopened within 38 minutes.
- Radar operators face persistent technical challenges because 'on initial radar readings, marks left by birds and drones can be similar,' the National Crisis Management Centre noted. This ambiguity forces authorities to trigger rapid military responses even when threats remain unverified.
- A fighter jet was summoned from Siauliai in northern Lithuania, where the Italian air force is currently based as part of the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission. The jet conducted visual identification of the detected object.
- The temporary closure reflects extreme sensitivity of Baltic airspace monitoring, where rapid military intervention is standard practice. This incident demonstrates the ongoing pressure on regional defenses to maintain immediate capabilities during periods of high alert.
- As Russia intensifies aggression against Ukraine, NATO Allies remain on high alert, with President Gitanas Nausda emphasizing that such readiness is vital for the region's defense. The incident underscores the Baltics' role as NATO's eastern flank amid ongoing security pressures.
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A NATO fighter jet shot down a drone in Lithuanian airspace, the origin of which is still unclear, while it is believed to have entered from the direction of Belarus. The post Lithuania: NATO fighter jet shot down a drone, according to Lithuanian sources appeared first on in.gr.
A drone has invaded and been shot down in Lithuanian airspace. President Nausėda thanks Nato and points to "the increasing aggression of Russia against Ukraine".
Nato scrambles fighter jets after drone breaches Lithuanian airspace as residents sent emergency alert
Nato has scrambled fighter jets over Lithuania after an unidentified object entered the country's airspace, triggering emergency alerts for residents.Alliance fighter jets shot down the intruder shortly after midnight as authorities responded to the incursion over the eastern European country.The drone is believed to have entered the country from Belarus and was shot down near Pratkunai village in southern Lithuania, near Kaunas, the second-larg…
NATO jets shoot down drone over Lithuanian airspace after it flew in from Belarus
"With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region. Together with our NATO Allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said.
An alarm had been raised earlier in Vilnius - The origin of the unmanned aircraft remains unknown at this time
NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that had invaded Lithuanian airspace. The unmanned missile had been sighted near the capital Vilnius. Lithuania's President Nauseda thanked NATO.
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