A day after a drone incursion shut down Lithuania's capital, Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas warns Europe must adapt to a new reality of repeated aerial threats.
At 10am Wednesday, Vilnius residents were ordered to seek shelter due to drone activity near the Belarus border. President Gitanas Nausėda and Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė were moved to an underground bunker as officials scrambled to determine the drone's origin and intent.
Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center, stated the drone was likely a combat or deception drone, though it was unclear if it carried a warhead. The origin remains unconfirmed, but Ukrainian drones have entered European airspace via Russian GPS jamming in recent weeks.
NATO activated its air police mission; two Portuguese fighter jets intercepted the drone. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised the alliance's response as "calm, decisive, and proportionate."
This was the first major alert sending EU and NATO capital leaders to shelters since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Kaunas acknowledged the need to enhance airspace defense, noting investments in new radars. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowed a united, strong response.