LRT: Lithuania on alert after foreign drone intrudes from Belarus

Lithuanian authorities are investigating a breach of national airspace after an unidentified drone reportedly entered the country from Belarus early on July 28. 

The object was last seen near Vilnius at an altitude of approximately 200 metres, according to the National Crisis Management Centre, Caliber.Az reports via LRT.

Residents have been urged not to approach any fallen drone and to immediately report sightings via the emergency number 112.

“We received reports this morning indicating that a drone most likely entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus,” said Darjus Buta, a spokesman for the centre. “All emergency services have been notified and are actively responding.”

Police continue to search for the drone, whose current location remains unknown. “Several potential crash sites are being investigated,” said police spokesperson Revita Janavičiūtė.

Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said that authorities are still determining the nature of the object.

She noted that weather conditions were favourable for meteorological balloons, which are sometimes used by smugglers to transport goods across borders. “At this stage, we cannot confirm what kind of object or objects were involved,” she said.

Social media users reported hearing a loud, fast-moving aircraft over the Šnipiškės area of Vilnius between 4:40 and 5 a.m. One resident described hearing a low-flying drone for five to six seconds.

This is not the first such incident. On July 10, a similar drone crossed into Lithuania from Belarus. Initially believed to be an Iranian-designed Shahed drone used by Russia in Ukraine, it was later identified as a Russian-made Gerbera, designed to resemble the Shahed and deceive air defence systems. Authorities now suspect such drones may be unintentionally veering off course.

In response, senior officials have raised concerns over the effectiveness of Lithuania’s current airspace defence measures.

Justinas Arūgštas, adviser to the Prime Minister, acknowledged that existing protocols are “ineffective and insufficient,” despite prior instructions to improve the detection and response to small drones.

President Gitanas Nausėda and Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė have both been briefed. Neither were moved to shelters, but will be presented with new security proposals during a meeting with the defence minister on July 29.

By Aghakazim Guliyev