Lithuania in no rush to name origin of downed drone from Belarus

Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said on Wednesday that identifying the origin of the drone shot down a day earlier in the Kaišiadorys district will take time, as the collected fragments require careful examination.

Why the analysis takes time

Speaking to public radio, the minister explained that drones of different types are often built from similar materials, making it hard to determine origin from the airframe alone. More precise clues could come from the engine and other engineering components, which would help specialists reconstruct the drone's flight path and likely launch site.

Minister avoids speculation

Kaunas declined to confirm suggestions that the drone, which entered Lithuanian airspace from the direction of Belarus, might be of Russian origin, saying there is no evidence yet. He acknowledged that Russia carries out provocations in NATO member states and noted that Lithuania would name those responsible once precise data is available, stressing that, unlike Russia, democratic states do not lie.

First such incident in Lithuania

Overnight Monday to Tuesday, NATO fighter jets stationed in Lithuania shot down a drone that had entered from Belarus over the Kaišiadorys district; the drone's route and origin remain unknown. It was later established that the drone carried explosives, which Lithuanian sappers neutralized after it was downed. While drones have repeatedly entered Lithuanian airspace in recent months amid Russia's war against Ukraine, this was the first time one was shot down there. Similar incidents were previously recorded in Latvia and Estonia. Such drones are usually Ukrainian ones launched at targets in Russia that get diverted off course by Russian electronic warfare equipment.