Overview

• The unmanned aircraft crossed the border on July 28 after being detected over Belarus by the Lithuanian Air Force and relayed to NATO.
• Local residents first reported its presence near Vilnius, prompting a nationwide mobilization of emergency services.
• Security teams located the drone on August 1 at the Gaižiūnai training ground in Jonava district after a five-day search.
• Preliminary analysis by the Lithuanian Armed Forces indicates the drone is a Russian-made Gerbera designed to resemble an Iranian Shahed loitering munition.
• Authorities attribute the incursion to possible disorientation by Ukrainian air defenses and are tightening airspace monitoring ahead of the Zapad 2025 exercises.