NATO expresses concern over Belarus drone incursions on Lithuanian border

NATO has formally expressed its serious concern regarding recent reports from Lithuania about violations of its airspace by drones originating from Belarusian territory.

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart addressed the issue in a statement posted on X, underscoring the alliance’s vigilance over the security situation in the region, Caliber.Az reports.

.@SecGenNATO spoke with Minister @BudrysKestutis on the recent Russian military drone violations of Lithuanian airspace.

NATO takes these incidents very seriously.

We remain vigilant and ready to defend every inch of NATO territory.

— NATO Spokesperson (@NATOpress) August 6, 2025

“Secretary General of NATO spoke with Minister Budrys Kestutis on the recent Russian military drone violations of Lithuanian airspace.

NATO takes these incidents very seriously. We remain vigilant and ready to defend every inch of NATO territory,” Hart posted.

To recall, Lithuania has called on NATO to help strengthen its air defences after a drone carrying 2 kilograms of explosives entered the country from Belarus and crashed in a military training area.

Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė and Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys sent a letter to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to request the deployment of additional, "even experimental," capabilities on its territory to address air threats, Šakalienė said.

“Since similar incidents are likely to continue as long as Russia’s war against Ukraine goes on, it means we must take additional measures,” she said.

The drone crossed the border on July 28 and took the Lithuanian military nearly a week to locate.

The primary theory, according to authorities, is that Russia directed the drone toward Kyiv but it became disoriented and unintentionally entered Lithuanian airspace. While currently there is “no reason to believe that the drone was deliberately launched into Lithuanian territory, we absolutely must respond to the fullest extent,” Šakalienė said. The investigation is ongoing.

With air attacks on Ukraine intensifying in recent months, the risks of such incidents along the NATO’s eastern border are rising. Similar incidents have been reported in Poland, Romania and Latvia.

Budrys described the situation as “a concern of all NATO,” calling for joint efforts to address “new types of threats.”

“This is not just Lithuanian airspace, not just Lithuania’s security — it is NATO airspace, NATO security and also EU security,” Budrys said.

The drone was the second to cross into Lithuania last month. On July 10, a Russian Gerbera drone crashed about a kilometre inside Lithuania’s territory after entering from Belarus.

The reported incidents, which occurred twice in July, involved unauthorized drone flights crossing into Lithuanian airspace, raising alarms about potential escalations in regional tensions. NATO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Lithuania and ensuring the integrity of its sovereign airspace amid ongoing challenges posed by Belarus.

By Vafa Guliyeva