NATO fighter jets based at the Zokniai air base have been scrambled to identify an object detected by Lithuania's surveillance equipment. This was reported by the national radio LRT, citing the National Crisis Management Center.
A yellow level of probable air alert has been issued for Vilnius County and the Ukmergė region. According to preliminary data, radars have detected an object with characteristics that may correspond to an unmanned aerial vehicle. The National Center reports that it may have entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus.
“Keep calm and find a safe place“, reads the warning sent to residents of the affected areas. Citizens are advised to stay away from windows, balconies and open spaces, and not to approach suspicious flying or fallen objects. If such an object is spotted, authorities urge that a report be made by calling 112.
Due to the activity of unidentified flying objects, the controlled airspace over Vilnius International Airport has been temporarily closed. This affects takeoffs and landings until the military establishes the nature and trajectory of the detected object.
At the moment, there is no official confirmation whether it is a drone, a weather balloon or another flying object. It was not reported whether the object was visually identified, neutralized or disappeared from radar.
Another incident in Lithuanian airspace
The incident comes after the incident on the night of September 14-15, when an unmanned aerial vehicle violated Lithuanian airspace and was neutralized by Italian fighter jets from the NATO mission. According to preliminary data released by the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, the drone entered from Belarus.
Lithuanian authorities have launched an investigation into the origin of the aircraft, its affiliation and possible targets of the violation. The new signal over Vilnius County and Ukmergė remains in the military identification stage for now.
Sources: LRT, Verslo Žinios