Stories
Vilnius Airport Shuts Down, NATO Jets Scramble After Suspected Drone Alert from Belarus
- •Vilnius International Airport temporarily closed after a possible unidentified flying object approached from Belarus, prompting NATO Baltic Air Policing fighter jets to scramble.
- •Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre investigated the alert, which led to the closure of controlled airspace and advisories for residents to be prepared to seek shelter.
- •The suspected object's characteristics were initially consistent with an unmanned aerial vehicle, but it was not conclusively identified and its signal disappeared from tracking systems.
- •Authorities could not rule out the possibility that the alert was triggered by a flock of birds, despite reports from residents of a possible object moving towards Jonava.
- •This incident follows recent airspace alerts in Lithuania, including a previous suspected drone alert at Vilnius airport on September 13 and a drone shot down by Italian fighter jets on September 14-15.
Key Questions Answered
Vilnius International Airport was temporarily closed for less than an hour after authorities detected a possible unidentified flying object approaching from Belarus, which prompted the scrambling of NATO fighter jets and a brief suspension of controlled airspace.
No, authorities stated that the object was not conclusively identified. While its characteristics initially appeared consistent with an unmanned aerial vehicle, officials noted it moved slower than typical drones and the National Crisis Management Centre could not rule out that a flock of birds triggered the alert.
A drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus on the night of September 14-15 and was shot down by Italian fighter jets participating in NATO's Baltic mission. Authorities later found its remains and neutralised an explosive payload, with the Italian Defence Minister stating it most likely originated from Russia.
