NATO fighter jets are currently in pursuit of a drone spotted over Lithuania, leading to the closure of the capital’s airport due to concerns over potential drone intrusions.
Lithuania’s Defence Minister, Dovilė Sakaliene, reported that the drone initially flew near Vilnius to Lentvaris and has since changed its course.
In response to the air threat, Lithuania has issued an “air danger” advisory, resulting in the suspension of traffic at Vilnius International Airport and urging individuals to seek shelter.
A message from Lithuania’s army instructed residents in Vilnius to seek safety and await further instructions promptly.
Additionally, a warning was issued within the Vilnius parliament building, prompting individuals inside to move to the nearest shelter as a precaution against potential air attacks.
The national crisis management centre of Lithuania raised an alert following the sighting of a drone from neighboring Belarus heading towards Lithuania.
The escalating situation coincides with Russia and Belarus conducting nuclear weapons exercises in Belarus, scheduled to continue until Thursday. Russia has heightened its combat readiness levels in these drills, including the deployment of nuclear weapons units.
Amid these developments, a NATO fighter jet intercepted a suspected Ukrainian drone intruding Estonian airspace on Tuesday.
The Russian Defence Ministry disclosed ongoing combat training missions aimed at acquiring special munitions for the Iskander-M missile system and positioning launch vehicles covertly for future missile launches.
Notably, Kremlin figures have cautioned NATO about a potential nuclear threat in the Baltic region, where Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia share borders with Russia.
The Russian rhetoric accuses Baltic states of facilitating Ukrainian drone activities against Russian territories, particularly near St. Petersburg, although these claims have been refuted.
Leaders in the region have emphasized the need for vigilance and defense of NATO territories in the face of escalating tensions with Russia and potential security threats.
Volya, a war monitoring channel, has issued warnings about Vladimir Putin’s alleged plans for a limited invasion of Baltic states, posing a test to NATO’s unity and response capabilities.
The reported invasion strategy aims to create a crisis within NATO by targeting Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, with the intent to disrupt the alliance’s cohesion.
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