Suspicious UAV from Belarus Forces Lithuania to Close Airspace: NATO Fighters Scramble

The eastern border area of Lithuania, as well as the Vilnius region, has been placed on high alert following the detection of a suspicious UAV moving from Belarus towards Lithuania's border. In response, the country's military has activated NATO's specialized response procedures.

Immediately after the UAV was identified via radar, allied fighters patrolling the Baltic region were scrambled into the air. For security reasons, the airspace over Vilnius International Airport has been completely closed since 10:00 local time, with flights temporarily suspended or redirected to other airports.

The restrictions have also affected ground transportation; train services have been halted in certain areas of the country, and authorities have evacuated people to designated shelters at railway stations and the parliament building.

According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense and the Crisis Management Center, sending SMS alerts to the public is a standard precautionary measure. Military officials noted that this is not the first such incident reported in the region in recent days, with similar occurrences having been registered in neighboring Latvia and Estonia.