An unmanned aerial vehicle was neutralized in Kaunas County
NATO fighter jets intercepted and destroyed a drone that crossed into Lithuanian airspace on the night of September 15. This was reported by Glavcom citing Delfi, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
A yellow air danger alert was declared across Lithuania overnight following a breach of the national border by an unmanned aerial vehicle. Local residents were advised to monitor official announcements and remain prepared to seek shelter if the threat level escalated further.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization fighter jets assigned to the Baltic Air Policing mission were scrambled to respond to the airborne target. Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Center, subsequently confirmed that the drone had been successfully destroyed in Kaunas County.
Flight restrictions
Lithuanian Airports, the operator of the nation’s civilian airports, temporarily restricted airspace use over Vilnius Airport due to the security threat. Commercial aviation operations were impacted, requiring flights to be coordinated with military aircraft movements.
The Alliance previously expanded the operational authority of the Baltic Air Policing mission, allowing fighter jets not only to escort and identify airborne targets, but also to employ weapons to neutralize them when they pose a threat.
Previous incidents
This incident follows other recent incursions by drones over the Baltic region. In August, Alliance fighter jets intercepted and shot down a drone that crossed into Latvia from an air base in Šiauliai.
Earlier on September 13, Lithuania issued an air alert regarding an unknown target heading toward Vilnius that abruptly disappeared from radar. Military officials later determined that radar trace was caused by a flock of birds, unrelated to the Kaunas County incident.
Photo: Glavcom
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