Lithuania calls on NATO to shoot down Russian drones in Baltic airspace
Lithuania has provided a definitive answer to the question of whether NATO forces should shoot down Russian UAVs over the Baltic States.
Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas is convinced that the Alliance needs to down Russian drones that encroach on EU territories.
NATO's air surveillance mission algorithm over the Baltic countries should be altered: Russian drones entering the airspaces of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia must be shot down, said Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas expressed this viewpoint, as reported by LRT.
Kasčiūnas's statement follows an incident where a Russian drone crashed in Latvia. On September 7, a Russian UAV, seemingly launched over Ukraine but deviating from its path, flew through Belarusian airspace and ended up in eastern Lithuania, where it crashed.
According to Kasčiūnas, if there is a perceived threat from drones violating NATO airspace, this information should be promptly relayed to NATO headquarters.
"NATO headquarters assesses whether there is enough evidence to determine it is an enemy drone rather than another type of lost aircraft, and then a quick decision is made on deploying air policing jets. This algorithm needs to be sped up," stated the Lithuanian Defense Minister.
Poland and the Baltic states recently announced the construction of 700-kilometer fortifications along their borders with Russia and Belarus.