TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026|No. 15129
NATO · Airspace Security

NATO Jets Intercept and Down Drone Entering Lithuanian Airspace from Belarus

NATO fighter jets successfully intercepted and downed a drone that had entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus, according to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.

An illustration of a military drone in flight against a backdrop of national flags.
An illustration of a military drone in flight against a backdrop of national flags.
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Nato fighter pilots have shot down a drone that entered Lithuania's airspace overnight, the Lithuanian president said.

Authorities said the drone likely entered southern Lithuania, near the second-largest city of Kaunas, from Belarus shortly after midnight on Tuesday.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda wrote in a statement on X: "A drone that just entered Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by NATO fighter jets."

The origins of the drone are yet to be determined, a spokesperson for the Lithuanian national crisis management centre said.

Drone alerts sounded across the capital Vilnius and surrounding region earlier on Tuesday.

Nausėda's post on social media added: "With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region. Together with our NATO Allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace."

Lithuania shares a large part of its southern and eastern border with Belarus, a key Russian ally.

Military drone incursions have become increasingly common across Europe since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia Belarus Drones Lithuania Nato

PAN's pipeline reviewed approximately 2 open sources for this article. No human editor reviewed this article before publication.

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