Lithuanian authorities temporarily closed Vilnius airport and summoned a NATO fighter jet after a perceived drone sighting in national airspace. According to Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre, the alert was lifted and operations resumed within 38 minutes after the aircraft performed a visual identification confirming the target was a flock of birds.
The jet was scrambled from Šiauliai air base in northern Lithuania, where the Italian air force is stationed as part of the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission. Officials stated that initial radar readings generated by birds and small unmanned aerial systems can produce similar marks, necessitating immediate interception and visual verification, Reuters reported.
The incident highlights heightened sensitivity across the Baltic region, where military drones straying near the borders of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania continue to fuel concerns regarding spillover effects from the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, organizers confirmed that the Vilnius marathon, taking place concurrently in the capital, proceeded without interruption.
