NATO air policing fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight Tuesday, authorities said, prompting temporary warnings of a possible air threat in several municipalities.
The drone was brought down near the village of Pratkūnai in the Kaišiadorys district, about 60 miles west of Vilnius and near the Kaunas Reservoir, the National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) said.
Vilmantas Vitkauskas, NKVC head, told LRT RADIO that the drone most likely entered Lithuania from neighbouring Belarus. It remained in Lithuanian airspace for about half an hour, flying along the outskirts of populated areas before being intercepted.
The drone was shot down by Italian troops stationed at the NATO air base in Šiauliai using Eurofighter jets.
Military police, regular police and other emergency services were dispatched to the crash site, where they recovered debris overnight, the Lithuanian military said.
