Lithuania’s prime minister has said that a drone which crashed inside the country likely originated from Ukraine, as authorities continue to investigate the incident near the Belarus border.
The unmanned aircraft entered Lithuanian airspace and crashed into a lake in the southern Varėna district, close to Belarus, prompting an immediate security response and a high level government review.
Officials now believe the drone was probably a Ukrainian device that went off course, possibly due to electronic warfare interference during operations related to the war with Russia.
Lithuanian authorities stressed that the incident appears accidental, with no indication it was a deliberate attack on NATO territory. No casualties or significant damage were reported, although the crash triggered concern given the country’s proximity to the conflict zone.
The government has convened a national security meeting and deployed military and police units to secure the crash site and recover debris for further analysis.
The incident highlights the growing risk of spillover from the Russia Ukraine war into neighboring countries, particularly those on NATO’s eastern flank. Lithuania has previously experienced similar airspace violations involving drones believed to have been diverted or disoriented during combat operations.
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