Lithuanian officials blame Belarus for recurring hybrid attacks using balloons, prompting repeated airport shutdowns and coordination with NATO allies.
Authorities grounded flights on 18 October night after back-to-back sightings of suspected drones circling the runways, but no objects or suspects were found.
Andrew Chakhoyan argues that NATO’s consistent reluctance to respond with force to Russia’s repeated airspace violations plays directly into Moscow’s hands.
Russian drone swarm tactics have exposed a fundamental gap in global military capabilities, with no clear protection yet against these revolutionary warfare methods.
This latest incident comes amid mounting warnings over Russian provocations in the region. The Hungarian fighters are stationed in Lithuania under NATO’s air policing mission.