Lithuania says allied jets would shoot down threatening drones in its airspace

VILNIUS - Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said on Tuesday allied fighter jets would shoot down any drone entering Lithuanian airspace if it posed a threat.

The minister’s comments followed an incident around noon on Tuesday when a NATO F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone that had entered Estonian airspace.

"This is the model that must and will function in Lithuania," Kaunas told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday.

The Social Democratic minister said the drone over Estonia was intercepted by NATO Baltic Air Policing jets scrambled from the Siauliai air base. A separate drone incident was recorded in Lithuania on Sunday, when a suspected Ukrainian military unmanned aerial vehicle crossed the border and crashed in the Utena district.

The object was first spotted by border guards, though military radars failed to detect it. NATO jets responded to the potential violation but were unable to locate the craft.

Kaunas said all systems operated according to current capabilities but noted they are being upgraded. He emphasised that additional radars and surveillance equipment will be deployed in Lithuania in the coming months.

The minister was also questioned on why the public was informed significantly later than the government.

On Monday, Kaunas told public broadcaster LRT that he received information about the airspace violation on Sunday morning, but the public was only notified in the evening after a local resident discovered the wreckage and alerted authorities.

"Weather balloons are airspace violations, smuggling is a violation, but we do not send out alerts every time. Drones are also used for smuggling. It was impossible to clearly identify the type of drone based on the information available at the time," Kaunas said.

He added that authorities were prepared to send SMS alerts to residents, but the object disappeared from view.

"Several scenarios were considered, including that it had left Lithuanian airspace. If there is no active flying threat at that moment, the system does not send messages. However, all preparations were made, and the algorithms would have functioned if needed," the minister explained.

Last week, President Gitanas Nauseda issued a warning to "warring parties in Europe" against using Lithuanian territory for drone strikes.

Meanwhile, presidential adviser Deividas Matulionis told Ziniu Radijas on Tuesday that Russia’s accusations regarding the use of Lithuanian airspace for Ukrainian drone strikes could lead to serious provocations. He did not elaborate but stressed the threat involves both propaganda and Russian special services.

Kaunas confirmed that Lithuania remains in contact with Ukraine regarding the incidents, conveying the message that the country’s airspace must not be used for any military operations.

Commenting on Moscow’s allegations against the Baltic states, the minister linked them to Russia’s attempts to exert political pressure and the deteriorating course of the war for the Kremlin.

Recent drone incidents have been recorded across all Baltic states. NATO and regional officials suggest some craft may have entered allied airspace due to the effects of Russian electronic warfare.