VILNIUS, Lithuania — Lithuania briefly issued an “air danger” warning and ordered residents in parts of the capital to seek shelter after authorities detected suspected drone activity near the country’s border with Belarus, underscoring growing security concerns along NATO’s eastern flank.
The alert was issued on Wednesday, May 20, after officials reported a possible drone incursion near the border area. Residents in Vilnius were advised to move to shelters or remain indoors, while lawmakers at the Lithuanian parliament were also sent to secure areas as a precaution. The warning lasted for about an hour before authorities lifted it.
Air traffic at Vilnius Airport was temporarily suspended during the alert, disrupting flights in and out of the capital. Reuters reported that Lithuania closed the airport after fears that drones may have violated national airspace. Authorities later said the immediate threat had passed, though investigations into the incident continued.
The scare came amid a series of drone-related incidents across the Baltic region. Latvia also issued a drone alert and scrambled NATO fighter jets after detecting an unmanned aircraft in its airspace. Baltic governments have accused Russia and Belarus of creating dangerous conditions by redirecting or interfering with drones linked to the war in Ukraine, while Moscow has denied responsibility.
The incidents have fuelled anxiety in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, all NATO and European Union members that share deep security concerns over Russia’s war in Ukraine and Belarus’s close military relationship with Moscow. The Baltic states have repeatedly urged NATO to strengthen air defences, warning that drone incursions could endanger civilians and civilian aviation.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she called Russian threats against the Baltic states, saying any threat to one EU member was a threat to the entire union. She said Russia and Belarus bore responsibility for drones endangering people on Europe’s eastern flank.
Ukraine has said some drones may be diverted by Russian electronic warfare, including GPS jamming and spoofing. Baltic officials have also pointed to suspected interference as a reason drones could stray into neighbouring airspace. Russia, however, has accused Ukraine of using NATO territory to evade Russian air defences, a claim Kyiv and Baltic governments reject.
The Lithuanian incident ended without confirmed damage or casualties, but officials said the response was necessary given the uncertainty and the potential risk to civilians. For NATO’s eastern members, the alert served as another reminder that the war in Ukraine continues to spill security risks beyond the battlefield.
