Lithuania’s Social Democratic Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene apologised for failing to warn the public in a timely manner about an incoming drone on the morning of May 20 and pledged to provide more frequent updates on drone-related incidents and shelter instructions.

Warnings of attack danger (red alert) in Vilnius County and possible attack danger (yellow alert) in the districts of Ignalina, Utena, Zarasai, Svencionys and Alytus were issued after the military detected a radar object displaying characteristics typical of drones. Nato air policing was activated, airspace above Vilnius Airport was temporarily closed, and train traffic in Vilnius County was halted.

Later, the danger alerts were cancelled throughout Lithuania. The suspected drone has not yet been found. Authorities believe it either crossed into another country or crashed somewhere within Lithuania.

According to Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC), the drone that entered Lithuania on May 20 crossed the border at around 9:40 a.m. He said the object later disappeared from radar near Merkine in southern Lithuania at about 11:09 a.m. 

On May 20, the prime minister convened a meeting of the National Security Commission to discuss both the drone that likely belonged to the Ukrainian military and crashed in the Utena district on May 17, as well as the drone that entered Lithuanian airspace on May 20 and triggered warnings and air raid alerts.

She said Lithuania had learned many lessons from the drone incidents, although many more still remained to be learned.

Improvements needed

Some public commentators in Lithuania criticised the prime minister for not responding quickly enough to the events. She defended the timing of her response.

Ruginiene acknowledged that the “LT72” emergency application experienced technical disruptions during the alerts and said improvements would be needed to ensure its reliable operation.

Residents of Vilnius County who received warnings to seek shelter found that some shelters were locked. Vilnius preparedness officer Zygimantas Solovjovas explained that, under current regulations, municipalities have up to 12 hours to open and prepare shelters.

Ruginiene expressed disappointment with how some educational institutions reacted to the shelter instructions. According to her, some schools and kindergartens encouraged parents to collect their children.

“Today, unfortunately, we saw major shortcomings in this area, and that gives us a clear action plan for what needs to be changed in these procedures. That will be done in the near future,” she said, delfi.lt reported.

She praised schools that calmly escorted children to shelters without causing panic but criticised those that failed to follow procedures.

“If schools are calling parents and asking them to collect children from kindergartens or schools, that is very bad,” she stated, delfi.lt reported.

Russian war blamed 

Summarising the situation, the prime minister said the drone incidents were a consequence of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“As long as Russia continues its aggression, similar risks will remain relevant for the entire region. We live next to a war in which rapidly evolving technologies, drones, and electronic warfare systems are being used. This is a new reality to which the state must adapt quickly and responsibly. War is closer than ever,” she said, delfi.lt reported.

She stressed that Lithuania is not a passive observer and is strengthening its defence capabilities together with allies. Nato fighter jets were activated again on Wednesday, while a drone had been shot down during a Nato air policing mission in Estonia on May 19.

Tensions increase 

Tensions in the Baltics have reached a peak following new threats from Moscow.

During a visit to Beijing on May 20, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticised Baltic leaders as “short-sighted politicians” who are “obsessed with Russophobia”, according to Russian state news agency TASS. He claimed Baltic leaders were acting against their own interests because of their anti-Russian stance.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys recently told Swiss newspaper Neue Zurcher Zeitung that Russia and Belarus pose a serious threat and called for strong Nato deterrence. Speaking about neighbouring Kaliningrad, he said: “We must show the Russians that we can breach the small fortress they have created in Kaliningrad. Nato has the means, in a critical situation, to completely destroy the Russian air defence and missile bases stationed there,” news agency BNS and state broadcaster LRT.lt reported.

Earlier that morning, Belarusian military forces reportedly informed Lithuania that a drone might be heading toward Lithuanian territory, Army Land Forces Commander Brigadier General Nerijus Stankevicius said.

Russian intelligence is spread false claims alleging that Ukraine is preparing drone attacks from Latvian territory, Latvia’s president Edgars Rinkevics said on May 20.

“We clearly see that they are openly trying to intimidate us. Russia is attempting to frighten us with statements claiming that Latvia supposedly allowed Ukraine to use its airspace to carry out strikes. This is an outright lie,” said Edgars Rinkevics, LSM.lv reported.

Previously, a drone crash in Latvia triggered the resignation of the defence minister and later led to the prime minister stepping down.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has this week stated that Russian claims alleging that the Baltic states are opening their airspace to Ukrainian drones are absurd.

“If drones arrive from Ukraine, it is not because Ukraine intended to send a drone to Latvia, Lithuania, or Estonia. They arrive because of Russia’s reckless and illegal full-scale aggression,” he told journalists in Brussels,” he said, Sky News reported.