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Lithuania says drone sighting turns out to be flock of birds, after NATO summons jets
- 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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EADaily, September 15, 2026, a drone that invaded Lithuania's airspace was shot over Kaunas County, reporting to LRT.
Gitanas Nausėda thanked the Allied forces for their response and linked the episode to the increase in Russian attacks on Ukraine. The incident occurred in the midst of a series of drone incursions into NATO's eastern flank countries and a day after another alert in Lithuania ended up being a false alarm.
·Las Condes, Chile
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A drone has been shot down by a NATO fighter jet in Lithuanian airspace, according to…
·Stockholm, Sweden
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Total News Sources79
Leaning Left8Leaning Right16Center14Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Right
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Right
42% Right
L 21%
C 37%
R 42%
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