Lithuania briefly closed Vilnius Airport and NATO air-policing aircraft were scrambled after radar contact initially raised concern over a possible drone in the capital’s airspace. The object was later identified visually as a flock of birds, and operations resumed after about 38 minutes to roughly an hour.
The alert prompted a fighter launch from Šiauliai, where the Italian air force is stationed as part of NATO’s Baltic air policing mission. Lithuanian authorities said bird and drone signatures can appear similar on radar, which can force a cautious response when unidentified objects are detected near civilian air routes.
The false alarm came amid heightened sensitivity in the Baltic region to suspected drone incursions and wider airspace security concerns. The Vilnius marathon continued without interruption, even as the airport suspension briefly disrupted traffic at the country’s main gateway.