Two Italian Eurofighter jets operating under NATO’s Baltic air-defence mission have shot down a drone after it entered Lithuanian airspace near the city of Kaunas.
Lithuanian authorities said the drone likely crossed into the country from neighbouring Belarus, while Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said it most probably originated in Russia.
The drone was intercepted after entering Lithuanian airspace, prompting NATO aircraft to respond to the security incident and bring down the unmanned aircraft.
An explosive device was later discovered at the crash site. Bomb-disposal experts were sent to the area and successfully neutralised the device, according to authorities.
The incident has raised fresh security concerns along NATO’s eastern flank, where member states have increased airspace monitoring following repeated drone and missile incidents in the region.
It is also being described as the first reported instance of NATO forces shooting down a drone over Lithuanian territory.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the drone’s origin, route and purpose, while NATO remains focused on protecting the airspace of its eastern European members.
The incident highlights growing security concerns in the region and the increased readiness of NATO forces to respond to potential airspace violations.
