Lithuania is working with Ukraine to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash of a drone in the Varėna district earlier this week, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said Wednesday.
Speaking to LRT RADIO, Budrys said the incident remains under active discussion and described it as a sensitive matter for Lithuania, given the scale of drone warfare linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“This is certainly one of the topics currently being discussed, and I will be addressing it myself in the near future,” he said. “This is a very sensitive and important area for us, especially considering how a warring state views its surroundings after receiving nearly a thousand drone strikes on various targets in the past 24 hours.”
Budrys said that although some drones are intercepted during large-scale attacks, the intensity of such operations may reduce awareness of the risks posed to countries not involved in the conflict.
“We are currently reconstructing the timeline of who knew what and when, and what the obligations are for notification,” he said. “I am convinced that in all cases where they have such information, they will provide it to us in a timely manner. Otherwise, that trust begins to erode.”
He added that a decision on whether to issue a formal protest note over the airspace violation would follow assessments by Lithuania’s defence authorities.
“Once we have those, we will make decisions,” Budrys said. “All countries must ensure airspace security and inform others if they see any risks, Belarus included.”
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Budrys warned that incidents involving stray drones are likely to increase as the war continues and military technology advances, underscoring the need to strengthen Lithuania’s air defences.
In a separate incident in neighbouring Latvia on Wednesday, a drone originating from Russian territory crashed and exploded. Budrys said it was unclear whether that device belonged to Ukrainian or Russian forces.
“It could be a drone from either side that veered off course and simply landed with explosives. This is extremely dangerous,” he said. “Therefore, our efforts to end the war against Ukraine must be increased.”
The drone in Lithuania crashed early Monday onto Lake Lavysas and did not pose a threat to public safety. Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said Tuesday that the drone was Ukrainian and had been intended to strike a target in Russia.
Defence officials said the unmanned aerial vehicle may have been diverted by electronic warfare measures and was believed to be targeting the port of Primorsk in northwestern Russia.
Authorities recovered debris from the lake on Tuesday, and the incident is being investigated as part of a broader probe into alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
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