Lithuania says drone sighting turns out to be flock of birds, after NATO summons jets
NATO fighters identified the object as birds, and the airport reopened within 38 minutes after three flights were disrupted, 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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NATO fighters have shot down a drone over Lithuania. This is announced today by the president of the Atlantic Alliance member country, Gitanas Nauseda. (ANSA)
Ekstra Bladet
smp.noFighter jets were scrambled on Monday when a drone was spotted in the air over Lithuania.
NATO fighter jets shoot down drone in Lithuanian airspace, president says
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced that NATO fighter jets shot down a drone in Lithuanian airspace, at a time when the alliance is increasingly on edge over spillover from the Russia-Ukraine war. Nauseda didn’t identify who the drone belonged to, but was quick to cast the blame on Russia. The Lithuanian Defense Ministry specifically thanked […]
The fighter aircraft went into the air because of a drone that, according to preliminary information, had been inhaled from Belarus.
EADaily, September 15, 2026, a drone that invaded Lithuania's airspace was shot over Kaunas County, reporting to LRT.
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