Lithuania says crashed drone likely Ukrainian

Lithuania’s Minister of National Defence, Robertas Kaunas, said a drone that crashed and exploded in Varena district was most likely a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle that deviated from its course, possibly due to electronic warfare interference.

The incident occurred near the village of Lavisos, about 30 kilometers from the Belarusian border, according to Lithuania’s Ministry of Defense.

According to Kaunas, the drone was likely part of a swarm targeting the Russian port of Primorsk in the northwest of the country. “Preliminary information from the services is as follows: this is one of the drones from the swarm of drones that attacked the port of Primorsk. (…) It is very likely that this is a Ukrainian drone that, under the influence of electronic warfare, went off course and fell in our territory,” he told reporters on Tuesday at the presidential office.

Lithuanian officials said the drone was not detected by either Belarusian or Lithuanian air defense systems before it crashed. “I want to note that neither Belarus saw it, nor Lithuania, unfortunately, saw it, since the drone was flying lower than, apparently, at an altitude of 300 meters. The services are still clarifying this point,” Kaunas said.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense confirmed earlier that an unidentified object fell in the Varėna district on March 23. As reported by Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), residents in the area said they heard a loud buzzing noise around 3 a.m., followed by a strong explosion. Debris consistent with a drone was later found at the site. No casualties were reported.

Kaunas said Lithuania has already ordered additional radar systems designed to detect low-altitude aerial threats, but deliveries are not expected until 2026 through 2028. “They, unfortunately, will arrive in 2026, 2027 and 2028. We are carrying out this work, however, it is simply not possible to go and take the equipment off the shelves and have it already today,” he said.

As noted by Lithuanian authorities, the country has been working to improve drone detection capabilities following previous incidents of airspace violations. Kaunas said new procurement decisions and operational analyses have been conducted to address gaps in early warning systems.

“Of course, the situation has changed: new orders have been made, new analyses have been carried out on what we need and how we need it. Today I am traveling to Ukraine, we will also discuss this incident so that such cases do not recur, what means we need, and also discuss the technologies available in Ukraine so that they can be implemented in Lithuania as quickly as possible,” he said.

Drones flying at low altitudes—typically below 300 meters—can evade traditional radar systems designed primarily to detect higher-flying aircraft and missiles. Electronic warfare systems can also interfere with navigation signals, causing unmanned systems to deviate from their intended flight paths.