The Lithuanian Armed Forces report a significant increase in the number of unauthorised drones flying over military sites this year.
“Comparing this and last year’s data, we see a significant increase in the number of unauthorised remotely piloted aircraft flying over military sites,” the Armed Forces told BNS.
“In one of the military facilities, more violations were recorded in one month this year than in the whole of last year,” it added.
While defence officials and experts do not rule out the possibility that this activity could be linked to espionage, the Armed Forces say they cannot confirm this assumption.
According to defence analyst Aleksandras Matonis, the nature of unauthorised drone flights over military sites might be twofold.
“It’s likely that a small number of these flights are simply made by offenders who want to fly in defiance of regulation. But the interest of hostile states in military facilities has increased, so the likely version is that it is the number of espionage flights that has increased,” Matonis told BNS.
The Defence Ministry says that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could be used by Russian and Belarusian intelligence, but no such cases have been recorded.
“Gathering information on Lithuania’s objects of special importance and military facilities is important for Russian and Belarusian intelligence and security services,” the ministry said.
“The collection of information on objects of importance can be carried out by various means and methods, including the use of UAVs over these objects,” it added.
However, the ministry has no data “confirming the use of UAVs by the intelligence and security services of Russia and Belarus”.
According to Jonas Vytautas Žukas, a former Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, catching and identifying the origins of UAVs is difficult.
"We used to catch them. We would set up patrols and reconnaissance units to identify the locations from which they were flying. Never once did we manage to identify them,” he said.
The unauthorised operation of drones over military areas or within a specified distance of them is punishable by an administrative fine of between 200 and 400 euros. Repeated offences could be fined up to 500 euros.
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