Lithuania's armed forces have activated the NATO air policing mission and issued an air alert in Vilnius after a suspected drone was detected near the country's border on Wednesday morning.
"Air alert! Immediately head to a shelter or a safe space," the military said in an emergency announcement.
Details about what to do in an event of an air raid are available an the government's emergency response website, www.LT72.lt.
"This incident is similar to what we have been seeing in recent days in Latvia and Estonia; warning residents is a standard preventive measure," the military said in an earlier statement.
The drone activity was recorded in areas close to the border, near the Ignalina, Utena, Zarasai and Švenčionys districts in eastern Lithuania. The warning was later extended to the capital Vilnius and the surrounding region.
Residents in those districts have received public alert messages warning of a possible drone in the vicinity, with a yellow-level air threat alert issued in those areas. It was later alerted to a "red" – urgent – alert in the Vilnius region.
The military indicated that the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission was activated after the radar signature was detected within Belarusian territory.
Vilnius Airspace closed
Airspace over Vilnius airport was closed on Wednesday at 10:00 following the air alert.
To be updated.
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