Air Alerts Declared in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia Over Drone Sightings

Reform.news Editorial Team · 11 November 2026, 08:20

https://reform.news/en/air-alerts-declared-in-lithuania-latvia-and-estonia-over-drone-sightings/

Air alerts were declared in Lithuania and Latvia overnight due to drones. The incidents involved objects flying from the direction of Belarus.

The first alert in Lithuania was issued shortly before midnight.

“We received the first report at around 11 p.m. We were informed that a drone was approaching from the Belarusian side in the direction of Švenčionys and Ignalina. About half an hour later, it became clear that the information had not been confirmed — the object had not crossed the Lithuanian border and had most likely flown into Latvia,” Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Centre, told LRT.

In Latvia, an air alert was declared in several regions starting at 11:25 p.m. It was lifted at 12:35 a.m. The alert affected the municipalities of Krāslava, Ludza, Augšdaugava and Balvi.

A second incident occurred later. A drone was approaching the Lithuanian border from the direction of Grodno.

“A different situation was developing in southern Lithuania. Information was received that a drone was approaching Druskininkai from the direction of Grodno. It then most likely briefly entered Polish territory near Lazdijai, later returned to Lithuania and, according to the reports we received, moved north from Marijampolė. It crossed the border in the Pasvalys area and entered Latvia,” Vitkauskas said.

In Latvia, an alert was declared in the Balvi area from 1:09 a.m. to 2:16 a.m. From 2:30 a.m., warnings were issued for counties bordering Lithuania. The object later moved north. Air alerts were issued in Madona, Cēsis, Smiltene and Gulbene.

One of the objects flew from Latvia into Estonia. An air alert was declared there shortly after 3 a.m. It remained in effect for more than three hours and covered the southern and eastern parts of the country.

Fighter jets from NATO countries were scrambled in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, but there have been no reports of drones being shot down.

Operations at Vilnius and Kaunas airports were disrupted in Lithuania. Airports in Latvia and Estonia continued operating without disruption.

The air alerts in the Baltic states came amid an attack on Russia’s Leningrad Region. Strikes on the port of Ust-Luga have been reported.