Nato fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight, in what is thought to be the first time a Nato aircraft has destroyed a drone over Lithuania. The incident, confirmed by President Gitanas Nausėda, comes amid a pattern of drone incursions into Nato territory near Belarus and Russia, heightening concerns about the alliance's eastern flank as Russia continues its war in Ukraine.

The drone is believed to have entered southern Lithuania near Kaunas from Belarus shortly after midnight, prompting phone alerts across the Vilnius region urging residents to seek shelter. It was destroyed by Italian pilots serving in Nato's Air Defence Mission alongside Lithuanian forces, and debris will be examined to determine the drone's origin and whether it was armed or deliberately targeted. The incident follows a similar drone sighting on 13 September and comes as Poland reported separate "aviation operations" against Russian drones on Monday night; Nato jets have also intercepted stray Ukrainian drones over Estonia and Latvia this year, which Ukraine attributes to Russian electronic warfare disrupting flight paths.