Фото: правительство Литвы
A red-level air alert was declared today in Lithuania’s Utena district after unmanned objects were detected in the country’s airspace, LRT reported. The alert level was later lowered from red to yellow.
“This means that danger is possible, people should take shelter, but it is not necessary to remain there at the moment.”, the National Crisis Management Centre said in a statement.
The alert was cancelled at around 5:50 p.m.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said that the country’s airspace had presumably been violated by two drones. NATO fighter jets were scrambled.
Residents of Utena district received emergency alerts on their phones and were urged to immediately seek shelter in designated shelters or safe premises. Several train services were suspended — routes affected included Vilnius–Trakai, Vilnius–Turmantas and Ignalina–Vilnius, affecting around 180 passengers. Retail chain Maxima temporarily suspended operations at 18 stores across several districts.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said that the suspicious object was moving from the north from Pabradė.
As previously reported, on the morning of 20 May an air alert was declared in some areas of Lithuania because of a suspected drone spotted in Belarus near the Lithuanian border. Vilnius Airport temporarily suspended operations. An air alert was also declared in Latvia.