Lithuania reported that an apparent drone sighting in its airspace on Sunday led to the closure of Vilnius airport and the dispatching of a NATO fighter jet, but it was later determined to be a group of birds. The National Crisis Management Centre of Lithuania stated that the airport reopened after 38 minutes once the NATO jet visually confirmed the situation.
The centre explained that initial radar readings can sometimes mistake bird movements for drones. The summoned jet originated from Siauliai in northern Lithuania, where the Italian air force is stationed for the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission.
Concerns have been raised about military drones crossing into the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, signaling potential spillover from the conflict in Ukraine towards NATO’s northern borders with Russia. Despite the airspace alert, the Vilnius marathon proceeded without interruption, according to organizers.
In a separate incident in August, an airport employee at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany discovered a drone carrying an unidentified explosive device in the cargo operations zone.
NATO continues to monitor airspace threats over eastern Europe, especially concerning suspicious drone sightings that have led to airport closures. The operation involves vigilant surveillance to ensure the safety and security of the region.