NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight, marking the first such incident in the country. Officials did not disclose the drone’s origin or purpose, though two senior officials suggested it likely carried explosives. In recent weeks, NATO countries, including Germany, Denmark, the UK, and Poland, have accused Russia of engaging in acts like drone incursions and sabotage.
Additionally, Denmark reported that one of its air force helicopters was fired upon while surveilling a Russian frigate in the Baltic Sea. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte linked strikes near NATO territory to Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s “desperation“ to instil fear. He pledged to strengthen defences along NATO’s eastern border with Russia and Belarus.
Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, said these incidents reflect a broader pattern of Russian aggression, adding, “Russia will find our resolve only growing stronger.”
Drone carrying explosives
A drone was downed in Lithuania on Tuesday and landed near the village of Pratkūnai, about 100 kilometres west of Vilnius, according to the National Crisis Management Centre. Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the centre, said the drone likely entered from Belarus and remained in Lithuanian airspace for about 30 minutes before interception.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas reported that an explosive device was found on the drone and neutralised by bomb disposal experts. Lithuania, which borders Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, has seen increased drone activity. In May, Vilnius residents were told to take shelter during a similar drone alert.
In related news, Denmark accused Russia of firing flares at a Danish air force helicopter during routine surveillance of a Russian frigate in the Baltic Sea. The Danish Foreign Ministry called the incident “completely unacceptable,“ and summoned the Russian ambassador. In response, Russia’s ambassador claimed the Danish helicopter was engaging in “provocative“ actions. The Kremlin declined to comment further.
Kyiv says “ready to support de-escalation”
Russian drone strikes continued across Ukraine following a social media post from US President Donald Trump, in which he claimed that Russia and Ukraine had agreed “not to hit“ each other’s energy infrastructure. Trump did not provide details, and previous ceasefire attempts have quickly failed, with both sides accusing each other of violations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed willingness to support de-escalation if the US could ensure that Russia was truly ready to stop the war. However, he noted that Moscow continued to attack Ukraine’s energy sector, prompting Kyiv to strike an oil refinery in Syzran, Russia. “Ending this war is essential, and pressure on Russia must create favourable diplomatic conditions,“ he stated.
The Kremlin called Trump’s ceasefire proposal “a good idea“ but insisted that strikes on Russian refineries were not the root cause of global supply issues. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the problem lay in exports of petroleum products and urged safe navigation for oil tankers and the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil.
Trump, meanwhile, encouraged Zelenskyy to stop targeting Russian oil refineries to avoid worsening global shortages. He noted that diesel prices in the US had exceeded $6 per gallon.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported that Russian strikes on Kyiv resulted in one death and seven injuries. At the same time, a significant Ukrainian drone attack caused multiple fires in Taganrog, Russia, damaging buildings and a drone production facility.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
