Unidentified object, possibly a drone, may have detonated in Lithuania near the Latvian border
An unidentified object may have detonated by itself in Lithuania's Pasvalys district on the morning of 18 October, after triggering air raid alerts in Lithuania and three Latvian municipalities. Fighter jets did not shoot it down.
An unidentified object, believed to be a drone, may have detonated on its own in Lithuania's Pasvalys district, in the north of the country near the Latvian border, on Sunday, 18 October. The incident set off air raid alerts in both Lithuania and Latvia, and it matters because it concerns the security of two NATO member states.
Alerts in both countries
Lithuania declared its highest-level alert, the red level, and NATO fighter jets were sent into the air. In Latvia, the alert applied in three municipalities: Bauska, Aizkraukle and Ogre.
What is known about the incident
According to information from Latvian public broadcaster LTV, the fighter jets did not shoot down the possible drone. There is a chance that the object detonated by itself. The site of the incident is in the Pasvalys district.
Lithuania's National Armed Forces state that between 6:00 and 8:00 a.m. an unidentified object, possibly an unmanned aircraft, was detected in Lithuanian airspace and triggered air raid alerts in several regions.
The source does not say who the object belonged to, where it came from, or whether the detonation caused any injuries or damage. Information is still being clarified and may change.
