An Italian NATO fighter shot down an unidentified drone over Lithuania shortly after midnight on 15 September, after the aircraft entered Lithuanian airspace and was intercepted near Pratkūnai, close to Kaunas. Lithuanian authorities said the drone likely came from Belarus, while its type and operator remain unconfirmed. The Italian detachment at Šiauliai Air Base carried out the response as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission.
The drone’s wreckage was found near Pratkūnai and the site was secured for investigation. Lithuanian officials described the reaction as rapid, with alerts issued for Vilnius and surrounding areas before the shootdown. The incident is understood to be the first time a drone has been destroyed over Lithuanian territory by NATO aircraft.
The aircraft involved has not been officially identified, though the Italian Eurofighter Typhoons stationed at Šiauliai are on current alert duty for the mission. Details of the weapon used were also not disclosed. The episode underscores the increasingly active role of NATO air policing on the alliance’s eastern flank, where allied fighters are now moving beyond tracking intrusions to kinetic action over member state airspace.