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Suspected Russian drone found in Lithuanian military training zone
A suspected Russian-made drone, believed to have entered Lithuania from Belarusian airspace, was discovered in a military training area, Lithuanian armed forces confirmed on Friday.
The drone reportedly crossed into Lithuanian territory on Monday morning before disappearing from radar. Local residents later observed it flying over residential districts of the capital, Vilnius. “It is likely the same drone that entered Lithuanian territory on Monday. Preliminary information suggests it is a Gerbera drone, but further details will be confirmed,” the military stated in an official release.
Gerbera drones are used by Russia as decoys in attacks against Ukraine, helping to mislead air defense systems. Lithuanian forces found the device in the Gaižiūnai training ground near Rukla, which hosts NATO’s multinational battalion. “I consider this a provocation,” said Mindaugas Sinkevicius, acting head of Lithuania’s ruling Social Democratic Party, noting the sensitive location where the drone landed.
Authorities tracked the drone while it was still in Belarusian airspace but lost its trail shortly thereafter. The incident has sparked criticism over the delayed response. Lithuania's Defense Ministry pledged to revise its protocols, aiming to authorize the military to neutralize hostile drones more rapidly.
This is not the first such incident. On July 10, another Gerbera drone crossed into Lithuanian airspace from Belarus, prompting government officials to take shelter in bomb-proof bunkers. As Russia continues its widespread use of drones in the war on Ukraine, some unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been straying into neighboring NATO member states including Poland, Romania, Moldova, and Latvia. A Russian Shahed drone crashed in Latvia in September 2024, raising similar security concerns.