On Monday NATO jets were scrambled as Vladimir Putin launched an enormous attack on Ukraine and a “Russian drone” flew “into Lithuanian territory.”
This triggered a major security alert in the NATO country after the Russian drone flew from Belarus and was “last seen” heading to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius around 5am on Monday morning.
The Russian made drone was identified as a Gerbera drone which deceives air defences, this is the second time this month a drone has illegally crossed into Lithuania.
The Police said in a statement, “The police report a sighting of an unidentified type of unmanned aerial vehicle that flew into Lithuanian territory from Belarus in the morning of July 28.
“Residents who notice a fallen drone are strongly advised not to approach it and to immediately report it by calling [emergency number] 112.”
Darius Buta, of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre, said: “The police have mobilised all forces and all services have been informed. Residents who have spotted the drone are urged to immediately call 112 and under no circumstances approach the device.”
The Lithuanian defence minister, Dovilė Šakalienė said, “Given the active actions of the Ukrainian defence to disorient Russian drones, the probability of lost drones remains increased.”
The police said: “According to received reports, the drone was seen at an altitude of about 200 metres [656ft], last seen near Vilnius.”
The head of the parliamentary committee on National Security and Defence, Giedrimas Jeglinskas, said on LRT Radio, “As far as I understand, an [unmanned] aircraft was spotted invading Lithuania from Belarus.”
