It’s published •update
Lithuanian media said Lithuanian political leaders were temporarily instructed to air raid shelters on Thursday after the alarm was raised for airspace violations from Belarus.
Media reports say Prime Minister Gintas Palakka and Congressional Speaker Saurius Scavernulis were safely taken as a precaution while the situation was being investigated.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausda is currently traveling abroad in Ireland.
Authorities initially feared that the unidentified flying object could be the type of Iranian Sharp drone used by Russia in the ongoing airstrikes in Ukraine, BNS news agency reported.
The Lithuanian Army confirmed in a Facebook post that the object was detected at 11:30am local time (10:30am).
The fighter, already in the air as part of the NATO Baltic Air Police (BAP) mission, was rushing to respond to the incident when the object fell to the ground from about a kilometre from the border with Belarus.
A thorough investigation revealed that the object was a non-manned plane made of plywood and foam, and did not pose any danger.
Lithuania’s Border Security Services (VSAT) said it has well documented cases of attempts to transport smugglers from Belarus to Lithuania using balloons or makeshift drones.
