A Shahed likely flew into Lithuania

Drone wreckage in lake ice. Photo: Julius Kalinskas / Elta

Deividas Matulionis, chief advisor to the President of Lithuania on national security issues, stated that a Shahed-type drone likely flew into Lithuania on Monday night, but it is too early to draw any final conclusions, LRT writes.

"It was probably a Shahed, possibly another type (of drone)," D. Matulionis said on Tuesday on Žinių radijas radio station.

"Both Russians and Ukrainians use different types of drones, so we cannot definitively state where this drone came from, where it was flying from, and where it was heading," he added.

The drone likely came from Belarus and crashed into Lake Lavysas in the Varėna district on Monday morning. The object did not pose a threat to the safety of residents.

Fragments were visible at the scene, and an internal engine was found. Video recordings circulated on social media show and hear the crashed drone exploding, and nearby witnesses also claimed to have heard an explosion. According to D. Matulionis, it is necessary to determine whether this object entered Lithuanian territory accidentally, having gone off course, or if it was a deliberate provocation.

"I would not dare to claim that this is a provocation from Belarus, but, of course, we can never completely rule it out," said the presidential advisor.

According to him, the Belarusian side did not warn Lithuania about the approaching object.

The incident — when a drone likely crossed the state border on Monday night in the Varėna district near Lake Lavysas, then exploded and crashed — will most likely be reported to NATO allies on Tuesday, the chief advisor to the President of Lithuania said.

Павялічыць

At the top of the map, Lake Lavysas, where the drone crashed, is indicated by an arrow. Google.maps

"I cannot confirm if we have already informed them. We will likely inform our NATO allies today. Of course, assistance can be requested, but generally, we know what to do because this is not a surprise. We are on the right track, and we just need to implement what has already been planned. The budget is provided, funds will be gradually allocated, and we will move towards a more effective air defense system – not only at high altitude but also at low altitude," said D. Matulionis. The object that crossed Lithuanian airspace was not detected by army radars.

D. Matulionis suggested that this could have happened because the object was flying at a low altitude.

"We have always seen that our Achilles' heel and problems exist precisely at low altitude," he noted.

Last year, Russian "Gerbera" drones flew into Lithuania twice, one of which contained explosives. Authorities determined that these drones were intended for Ukraine but ended up in Lithuania by accident after Ukrainian electronic warfare systems disrupted their flight path.

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