An Ukrainian drone with explosives entered Lithuania from the Polish side
On October 18, an unmanned aerial vehicle that crashed in Lithuania belonged to Ukraine, entered the country from the direction of Poland, and was carrying explosive material. Prime Minister of Lithuania Mindaugas Sinkevičius announced this. Kyiv stated that the drone might have strayed off course due to the influence of Russian electronic warfare systems.
A Ukrainian drone carrying explosives entered Lithuania from the Polish side
According to the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT, Sinkevičius announced this on October 19 in Vilnius following a meeting of the National Security Commission.
The Prime Minister stated that the found wreckage confirms the device belongs to Ukraine, which is also supported by an appeal from the Ukrainian side and information that contact with one of the drones was lost during the attack.
"Presumably, it was this exact drone that exploded on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. There is no doubt that it was carrying explosives," Sinkevičius said.
He noted that previously drones had entered the country from the direction of Belarus, but this time the device flew in from the direction of Poland.
Scrambled fighter jets detected the moving object on their radars. However, due to unfavorable weather conditions, the pilots could not visually confirm and identify it.
According to Sinkevičius, the exact cause of the drone crash is not yet known. The possibilities include a technical malfunction, running out of fuel, or striking the ground or trees.
On the morning of October 18, an air raid alert was issued in Lithuania and Latvia due to a situation involving an unidentified object. Military aviation from NATO allies was also deployed. The drone wreckage was found in the village of Juodžionys, Pasvalys District, Lithuania.
On the same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed regret over the incident. According to the ministry's explanation, during an operation against military targets on Russian territory, the drone may have changed course under the influence of Russian electronic warfare systems. This possibility has not yet been announced as the confirmed cause of the incident.