Vilnius Airport Temporarily Closed as NATO Jets Scramble Over Possible Drone from Belarus
Why It MattersThe incident underscores rising airspace-security risk for business and commercial aviation operating near the Belarus-Lithuania border amid the Ukraine war.
Vilnius Airport in Lithuania was temporarily closed and NATO air-policing fighter jets were scrambled after a possible drone was detected flying from the direction of Belarus, Lithuania's National Crisis Control Centre told Reuters. Authorities advised residents in the Vilnius region to be prepared to seek shelter if necessary.
The incident adds to growing security concerns across the Baltic region, where countries bordering or located near Russia and Belarus have reported an increasing number of airspace incidents linked to the war in Ukraine. Lithuania is a member of NATO and the European Union.
