By Airspace Watch News Desk
An Italian NATO fighter jet shot down a drone in Lithuanian airspace Tuesday after it entered from Belarus, Italy’s defense minister said. Guido Crosetto said the aircraft most probably came from Russia.
The drone crossed into Lithuania from Russian ally Belarus after midnight and was shot down near Pratkunai, a village in southern Lithuania not far from the city of Kaunas, according to Lithuania’s national crisis management centre. A drone alert was issued earlier Tuesday for Vilnius and the surrounding region.
Crosetto spoke at Siauliai Air Base, where Italian fighters are assigned to NATO’s Baltic Air Defence mission. He said the drone was a threat that most probably came from Russia. “The presence of Italian aircraft here is the clear demonstration of the value of the Atlantic alliance for Italy and what it means to be an ally,” he said after meeting crews at the base.
The drone’s origin has not been established. Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said on social media that the drone carried an explosive. He later said the debris would be examined before officials could say clearly whether the aircraft was Russian and possibly represented a provocation, or whether it came from another country.
Video released by the Lithuanian Army showed debris scattered across grass near the crash site. Some pieces appeared to be made of wood, while others appeared charred. The Lithuanian government identified the material as debris from the drone shot down by the NATO fighter.
Russia had not immediately commented on the incident.
The Baltic Air Defence mission has patrolled the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia since the three Baltic countries joined NATO in 2004. Italian aircraft are operating as part of that mission, which provides air policing over the alliance’s Baltic members.
The mission’s aircraft have also shot down stray Ukrainian drones over Estonia in May and over Latvia in June and August, according to reporting from the Defense News account of the incident. Ukrainian drones have repeatedly entered NATO airspace in the Baltic region in recent months. Kyiv has said Russian signal jamming caused those aircraft to stray from their intended routes.
Military drones straying into the airspace of countries neighboring Russia have stoked concerns that the war in Ukraine is spilling over NATO’s borders. Ukraine has increased long-range drone attacks on Russia, including in the Baltic Sea area.
The Lithuanian authorities’ examination of the debris is expected to provide more information about the aircraft’s origin. Kaunas said the findings could clarify whether it was a Russian drone or came from another country, as well as whether the incident was possibly a provocation. The Italian fighter’s action followed the drone’s entry into Lithuanian airspace from Belarus, while officials continue to assess the aircraft and the circumstances of the flight.
Defense News reported the incident from Siauliai Air Base.