Latvia, Lithuania warn of threat in airspace near Belarus
Lithuanian officials said 4 drones were detected and NATO fighter jets twice tried to intercept one that crossed from Belarus.
- On Wednesday, November 11, 2026, Lithuania and Latvia issued emergency air alerts after unidentified drones entered regional airspace, prompting air policing jets to scramble. Authorities also coordinated emergency response protocols to ensure public safety during the airspace threats.
- The incursions occurred as Ukrainian drones targeted Russian infrastructure, including the Ust-Luga port in the Leningrad Region. Officials suggest Russian signal jamming caused drones to stray off course, creating security risks for neighboring countries.
- Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius described the event as "a difficult night" after aircraft attempted to intercept the objects. Investigators later discovered fragments of a missile on the ground following the interception attempt.
- National Crisis Management Centre officials closed airports in Vilnius and Kaunas, affecting more than 400 passengers. Warnings about potential weather balloons complicated efforts to distinguish between harmless atmospheric objects and genuine security threats.
- These incidents reflect growing concerns that the war in Ukraine is spilling into NATO territory. Persistent security challenges remain as NATO air policing assets stay active across the Baltics to manage risks from errant drones.
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138 Articles
NATO Has A Problem: Baltic Countries Issue Alerts Warning Citizens to ‘Take Cover’ from Ukraine War Drones
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The Baltic states raised drone alerts, but cancelled them a few hours later. Finland imposed temporary restrictions on airspace and at sea.
NATO fighter jets twice tried to shoot down a drone over Lithuania, missing it both times, Lithuanian television and radio LRT reported. The drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus on Wednesday night, briefly flew over Poland, and then returned to Lithuania.
Latvia and Lithuania have activated successive security alerts this morning, after detecting several unidentified drones approaching from Belarus and which, in some cases, entered the airspace of the Baltic countries. The alarm has forced to mobilize air defence units , activate drone interception teams and give orders to take off several NATO fighters in the Baltic. Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre identifies two distinct episodes:…
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