Lithuanian and Latvian Forces Scramble Jets After Suspected Drone Detonates Near NATO Border

NATO fighter jets were scrambled on Sunday after an unidentified flying object, suspected to be a drone, entered Lithuanian airspace. Lithuanian authorities and the Latvian armed forces confirmed the scramble, noting that the incident took place close to the Latvian border and triggered multiple air alerts in the region.

According to Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas, fighter jets carrying out a NATO air defence mission were tracking the object in the Biržai district of northern Lithuania on Sunday morning. In a social media post, Kaunas stated that pilots were unable to visually identify the object due to difficult weather conditions. The Latvian military said it appeared the jets did not shoot down the suspected unmanned aerial vehicle and that it was possible it had detonated on its own.

Lithuanian military personnel are currently heading to the location where the radio signal was lost to carry out a ground inspection. The origin of the suspected drone remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the incursion and the cause of the explosion.

The incident is the latest in a growing series of drone incursions and incidents along NATO's eastern flank, many of which are believed to be spillover from Russia's war in Ukraine. It follows Romanian authorities' announcement on Saturday that Romanian F-16 fighter jets had shot down two drones over the Black Sea, described by the Romanian Defence Ministry as jet-powered attack drones from the Geran family.

Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruta said the first drone entered Romanian airspace at around 17:59 and was shot down within two minutes, 25 km south-east of the town of Sulina. The second drone was engaged and shot down at 18:05, five minutes after entering national airspace, 20 km east of Sulina.