Drone Shot Down Over Lithuania Confirmed to Belong to Russian Military

The drone shot down after crossing into Lithuanian airspace has been confirmed to belong to the Russian military. The incident is drawing attention as a case showing that drones from the Russia-Ukraine war can reach the territory of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states.

Lithuanian authorities said on the 16th that the drone shot down the previous day (local time) was a Russian military 'Gerbera' drone, which appears to have been diverted by Ukrainian 'electronic warfare' equipment that jammed its radio signals. President Gitanas Nauseda explained, "The drone, which was heading toward Ukraine, most likely strayed from its path and entered our airspace," adding, "It does not appear to have been a deliberate attack targeting Lithuania."

The Gerbera drone is a low-cost decoy drone made of plywood and styrofoam. However, it is known to be capable of carrying explosives. This drone crossed the border from Belarus into Lithuanian airspace while carrying an explosive device. It then flew for about 30 minutes before being shot down by an Italian fighter jet from NATO over Kaunas, more than 100 kilometers from the border.

On the 14th, a Russian military Gerbera-2 drone was also found off the coast of Jarosławiec in northwestern Poland. Polish prosecutors said the warhead mounted on the drone was detached and neutralized. The Polish military believes the drone drifted in the Baltic Sea before washing up on its coast, noting that no airspace violations had been detected since late July.

European security authorities have suspected that whenever unidentified drones are found over critical infrastructure such as airports or military bases, they may be part of deliberate Russian operations to test NATO's readiness. With this incident, a Russian military drone's incursion into Baltic airspace has been officially confirmed.