SIAULIAI AIR BASE, Lithuania: An Italian NATO fighter jet shot down a drone in Lithuanian airspace on Tuesday (Sep 15) that “likely” got here from Russia, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto stated.
The drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Russian ally Belarus after midnight and was shot down close to the southern village of Pratkunai not removed from the town of Kaunas, the Lithuanian nationwide disaster administration centre stated.
“Final evening, once more, the Italian pilots have intervened and so they have shot down a menace that almost all in all probability got here from Russia”, Crosetto advised reporters at Siauliai Air Base, the place Italian fighters are based mostly as a part of the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission.
“The presence of Italian plane right here is the clear demonstration of the worth of the Atlantic alliance for Italy and what it means to be an ally”, he stated after assembly crews with Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas.
Russia didn’t instantly touch upon the incident.
Kaunas advised reporters that the drone had in all probability not carried explosives, and the particles of the drone could be examined.
“Then we will say clearly, whether or not this can be a Russian drone and it is presumably a provocation, or whether or not it’s one other nation’s drone”, he stated.
Ukrainian drones have repeatedly entered NATO airspace within the Baltic area in current months. Kyiv says they had been steered astray by Russian sign jamming.
