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Two Italian Eurofighter Typhoons operating under NATO command scrambled overnight and shot down a drone over Lithuania, marking the first time a drone has been downed in the Baltic nation’s airspace, officials said Tuesday.
The incident came less than a day after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that strikes close to alliance territory would drive the 32-nation bloc to increase its support for Ukraine.
The drone was destroyed near the village of Pratkūnai, about 60 miles west of the capital, Vilnius.
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“Last night, two Italian Eurofighters deployed on NATO Air Defence mission at Siauliai, scrambled and shot down a drone over Lithuanian airspace,” a NATO official told Fox News Digital. “The operation was coordinated through NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem, Germany. Investigations are ongoing together with national authorities.”
Lithuanian officials said the drone most likely entered from neighboring Belarus and remained in the country’s airspace for about 30 minutes before it was intercepted.
Lithuanian Air Force Commander Antanas Matutis said the recovered drone was “likely” carrying explosives.
Authorities are examining the wreckage of the downed drone to determine its origin and purpose.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions along NATO’s eastern flank.
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Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Rutte said strikes “close to NATO territory” showed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation and also his desire to sow fear and terror.”
“Russia is growing increasingly reckless as it continues its terrible war against Ukraine,” Rutte said, while pledging to strengthen NATO defenses along its eastern flank.
In a separate incident Tuesday, Denmark said a Russian frigate fired flares toward a Danish military helicopter conducting routine surveillance over the Baltic Sea. Denmark summoned the Russian ambassador over the encounter.
Meanwhile, Russia continued drone strikes across Ukraine, killing three people in Kyiv, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, according to Ukrainian officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv remained ready to support de-escalation if the U.S. could ensure Russia was prepared to stop its attacks. Ukrainian forces also struck an oil refinery in Syzran and targeted a drone production facility in Taganrog, he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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