Nato fighter jets shoot down drone over Lithuania

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An emergency alert was sent to mobile phones in Vilnius, Trakai and Elektrėnai shortly after midnight, warning residents of a potential aerial threat and urging them to seek shelter.

Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre said the drone was destroyed around 30 minutes later near Navasiolkai in the Alytus region.

President Gitanas Nausėda said on X: “A drone that just entered Lithuanian airspace was destroyed by NATO fighter jets.

“I thank Allied personnel for their swift response.

“With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region.”

It is reported to be the first time a drone has been shot down inside Lithuanian territory.

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The incident came a day after Vilnius Airport briefly shut over a suspected drone threat that was later found to have been caused by a flock of birds. Authorities said radar signatures from birds and drones can initially appear similar.

It also comes the day after Boris Johnson narrowly escaped a Russian drone that hit a train just behind his.

The former prime minister was aboard a private train that was forced to speed up to reach Poland on Sunday morning after a drone hundreds of kilometres away was detected.

Belarus remains Russia's closest ally in its war against Ukraine, governed by Alexander Lukashenko - a firm associate of Putin's.

This is a breaking news story.