Drone shot down by NATO fighter jets in Lithuania turns out to be Russian Gerbera - Nausėda
Photo: Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda (Getty Images)
Lithuania shot down a Russian Gerbera
Nausėda said that the object that entered Lithuanian airspace and was later shot down turned out to be a Russian Gerbera-type drone.
"Its electronic components are still being analyzed. It appears that we will be able to recover the information and obtain much more data about where it came from, as well as how and under what circumstances," the president said.
In his view, it was most likely a Russian drone that had been neutralized by the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ electronic warfare systems. As a result, it flew into Lithuanian territory rather than Ukraine.
How Lithuania should shoot down Russian drones
"Unfortunately, there may be more incidents like this in the future. The most important thing is that we can detect them in time, preferably while they are still over neighboring countries, so that we can respond more quickly, because we really do not have much time to prepare," he said.
According to the head of state, alternative ways of neutralizing drones need to be explored rather than relying solely on missiles.
"There is a whole range of air defense systems and short-range drone interceptors, and they should be used as alternative methods," he added.
The president stressed that Lithuania is strengthening its integrated air defense, but mistakes still occur in its operation.
"Yes, there are still incidents that sometimes cause anger and sometimes a smile, like that unfortunate incident involving birds. We want to minimize the risk to people’s lives as much as possible," Nausėda stressed.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that a yellow air threat level was declared in Lithuania on the night of September 15. A drone then violated the country’s airspace. NATO fighter jets shot it down shortly afterward.
In addition, on September 13, Vilnius Airport was closed, and a NATO fighter jet was scrambled because of a suspicious object in the air. It turned out to be a flock of birds.
