NATO Jets Shoot Down Drone Over Lithuania

NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace early Tuesday, the latest security incident along the alliance’s eastern flank as Russia intensifies its aerial attacks on Ukraine. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda confirmed the interception, saying NATO aircraft had responded immediately.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “A drone that just entered Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by NATO fighter jets,” Nauseda wrote on X, adding that such readiness was vital as Russia escalates its war against Ukraine. Preliminary information from Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre indicated that the drone entered from neighboring Belarus and was heading west, according to Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT. The drone came down in a rural area near Lake Kaunas in central Lithuania. Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys thanked NATO allies for protecting Lithuanian airspace, describing the interception as a demonstration of the alliance’s readiness and unity. The incident adds to mounting security concerns across NATO’s eastern flank. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have reported repeated drone incursions and other airspace incidents since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Poland activates aircraft Poland also launched aviation operations Tuesday in response to Russian jet-powered drones attacking targets in Ukraine. Polish authorities said the measures were preventive and intended to protect the country’s airspace, particularly areas close to Ukrainian regions under attack. Other Topics of Interest Kim Jong Un Calls Russia’s War ‘Sacred,’ Pledges Continued Support for Moscow Pyongyang’s latest pledge comes as Kyiv warns that tens of thousands of additional North Korean troops could eventually be sent to Russia. The heightened NATO response came as President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was prepared to take reciprocal de-escalatory steps if Russia stopped attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure. US President Donald Trump said Monday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to halt attacks on each other’s energy sites, although Kyiv has stressed that any pause must be reciprocal and reliably implemented. Despite the diplomatic push, aerial attacks continued overnight. NATO has increasingly been forced to respond to drones approaching or entering allied airspace, underscoring how Russia’s war is creating growing security risks beyond Ukraine’s borders. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.