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yesterday

Lithuania Urges NATO to Bolster Air Defences After Drone Incursions

They argued that accelerated rotational deployments with enhanced counter-drone systems are essential to secure the alliance’s eastern flank

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Lithuania's Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys attends a press conference in Lublin, Poland, July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki/File Photo
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Overview

  • On August 5, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys and Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė sent a joint letter to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte requesting immediate air defence enhancements and faster implementation of a rotational deployment model.
  • The appeal follows two Gerbera drones directed from Belarus that crossed into Lithuanian airspace on July 10 and July 28, the latter crashing with 2 kg of explosives about 100 km inside the country.
  • Lithuanian officials warned these incursions demonstrate Russia’s aggression against Ukraine spilling onto NATO territory and called for allied solidarity over every centimetre of the eastern flank.
  • NATO confirmed that Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Grynkewich has authority to deploy additional counter-drone measures and that member states are fast-tracking procurement of detection and neutralization technologies.
  • Lithuania suspects the latest Gerbera drone was targeting Ukraine before being diverted by Ukraine’s defences, underscoring the evolving threat of hybrid drone warfare.