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.