Gitanas Nauseda, the President of Lithuania, announced after a National Security Council meeting in Vilnius on Wednesday that the drone downed by NATO fighters in Lithuania was likely a Russian project that had deviated from its course. Nauseda said: "Based on what we currently know, this drone was likely of the Grabara type." He added that this drone was likely targeting Ukraine, but due to Ukraine's electronic warfare, it deviated from its course and entered Lithuanian airspace.
Details of the drone's downing
The drone was shot down on Tuesday night by Italian Eurofighter jets in a rural area near the village of Pratkonai in western Vilnius. Lithuanian officials stated that this drone was equipped with an explosive device and likely entered Lithuania from Belarus. Fortunately, no injuries or damages have been reported in this incident. Officials had previously warned residents of several areas about a potential aerial threat.
Risks and consequences of drones
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, several drone-related incidents have occurred in the Baltic countries, all of which are members of the European Union and NATO. Drones that are stopped using electronic countermeasures are also dangerous for neighboring countries. During Ukrainian attacks, off-course drones have repeatedly entered the airspace of the Baltic countries, and some of them have subsequently crashed. In the past, Russian-made drones have also entered Lithuania from Belarus.
Nauseda also emphasized the potential dangers of other drone-related incidents and stated that the ability to detect drones needs to be improved. These remarks reflect growing concerns about aerial threats in the region and the need for increased security measures.
