NATO fighter jets shoot down drone over Lithuania as locals sent urgent phone warning
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Nato fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace this evening, the country's National Crisis Management Centre said.
The drone had entered the country from neighbouring Belarus, according to local reports.
An urgent warning was sent to phones in Vilnius, Trakai and Elektrėnai just after midnight local time.
The drone was shot down by Nato forces around 30 minutes after the warning was sent.
It is the first drone to be shot down in Lithuanian territory.
Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda wrote on X: 'A drone that just entered Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by NATO fighter jets.
A NATO fighter jet shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace today (stock image)
'I thank Allied personnel for their swift response.
'With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region.
'Together with our NATO Allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace.'
Local media said that the drone was shot down over Pratkūnai, near Kaišiadorys in Kaunas County – west of Vilnius.
The town is more than 30 miles from the border with Belarus.
Belarus is run by Putin-puppet Alexander Lukashenko and remains Russia's closest ally in its war against Ukraine.
It comes the day after Boris Johnson narrowly escaped a Russian drone that hit a train shortly after he had passed through.
The former prime minister was aboard a private train that was forced to speed up to reach Poland yesterday morning after an incoming drone hundreds of kilometres away was detected.
In 2025, four Russian drones were shot down by Nato forces over Poland.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned then that the drones 'posed a direct threat'.
Mr Tusk invoked Nato's Article 4 under which any member can call urgent talks when it feels its 'territorial integrity, political independence or security' are at risk – only the eighth time the measure had ever been used.
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