Key facts
- A drone shot down in Lithuania on Tuesday was a Gerbera type, often used by Russia.
- Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said the drone was likely targeted at Ukraine but deviated off course.
- The drone was shot down by an Italian NATO fighter jet.
- The Lithuanian army is analyzing the drone's electronics.
- This is the first suspected Russian drone shot down by the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission.
A Russian-made drone shot down by an Italian NATO fighter jet in Lithuania on Tuesday was likely intended for Ukraine but deviated off course, according to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda. Nauseda identified the downed aircraft as a Gerbera drone, a type often used by Russia as a decoy or to carry explosives.
"It was most likely not a conscious action against Lithuania. It [the drone] was probably targeted towards Ukraine but affected by Ukrainian electronic warfare and deviated off course," Nauseda told reporters on Wednesday. The Lithuanian army is currently analyzing the drone's electronics to determine its exact targeting.
This incident is the first suspected Russian drone to be shot down by the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission, which has patrolled the region since the Baltic states joined NATO in 2004. Countries on NATO's eastern flank have experienced repeated drone incursions, raising fears of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine spreading beyond its borders. Russia has not commented on the incident. Nauseda stated that while there is no large-scale operation against Lithuania or NATO, "certain incidents, provocation, sabotage acts, including false-flag operations," are still possible, as are attacks against Russian opposition activists or Ukrainian supporters. Earlier on Monday, the Polish military recovered what appeared to be a Russian drone from the Baltic coast.