NATO fighter jets shoot down drone in Lithuanian airspace, president says

Published September 14, 2026 7:56pm ET



Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced that NATO fighter jets shot down a drone in Lithuanian airspace, at a time when the alliance is increasingly on edge over spillover from the Russia-Ukraine war.

Nauseda didn’t identify who the drone belonged to, but was quick to cast the blame on Russia. The Lithuanian Defense Ministry specifically thanked Italian pilots for their “swift and responsible response” in neutralizing the threat.

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