Lithuania Requests Reinforced NATO Air Defenses After Two Russian Drone Incursions.

As Russian aerial activity intensifies along NATO’s eastern flank, Lithuania has formally requested that the Atlantic Alliance reinforce its air and missile defense capabilities. This move follows two violations of Lithuanian airspace by Russian drones within a month, raising concerns in the country regarding the vulnerability of its airspace and the broader implications for regional security.
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On February 10–20, 2025, Lithuania hosts a bilateral Lithuanian and Italian Air Defence Battalions’ exercise involving Italy’s SAMP/T long-range ground-based air defence system deployed in Lithuania (Picture source: Lithuanian MoD)

On July 28, a drone carrying approximately two kilograms of explosives crossed the border from Belarus and crashed in a Lithuanian military training area. According to authorities, the drone was likely intended for Kyiv but deviated from its route and unintentionally entered NATO airspace. The wreckage, which took nearly a week to locate, is currently under investigation. While no evidence indicates that the drone was deliberately aimed at Lithuania, Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė stated that the situation demands a prompt and proportionate response.

Earlier that month, on July 10, another Russian drone, identified as a Gerbera model, also crossed the Belarusian border and crashed roughly one kilometer inside Lithuanian territory. Increasingly used by Russian forces, the Gerbera is a newer-generation loitering munition. Initially designed as a decoy to overwhelm air defenses, it is now equipped with cameras, Kometa anti-jamming modules, and small warheads weighing between 3 and 5 kilograms. Light, built from materials such as polystyrene and plywood, and assembled with commercially available components, the Gerbera is about ten times cheaper than the Shahed-136 drone with which it shares a similar shape. Its low cost allows Russia to deploy it in swarms, making interception both expensive and complex for Ukrainian forces and NATO units alike.

In response to the incidents, Šakalienė and Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys sent a joint letter to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte requesting the deployment of additional, including potentially experimental, air defense systems on Lithuanian territory to address the threat.

The request comes at a time when Lithuania’s national air defense capabilities remain limited. The country currently relies on short- and medium-range systems, including man-portable FIM-92 Stinger missiles, Swedish RBS 70 systems, and more recently, the Norwegian NASAMS, which forms the core of Lithuania’s medium-range surface-to-air defense and is interoperable with NATO. The national command and control architecture is linked to the Alliance network, facilitating participation in collective surveillance. However, the absence of long-range systems such as Patriot or SAMP/T forces Lithuania to depend on NATO deployments for high-altitude and ballistic missile coverage. The Baltic Air Policing mission, carried out by NATO fighter jets based in Šiauliai and Ämari, provides supplementary airspace protection.

Lithuanian authorities stress that these events should not be seen as isolated. With Russia's strikes on Ukraine increasing in intensity, the likelihood of spillover into NATO’s eastern territories continues to grow. Similar drone-related incidents have been recorded in Poland, Romania, and Latvia.

Budrys emphasized that the issue goes beyond national security concerns. “This is not just Lithuanian airspace or Lithuanian security. It is NATO airspace, NATO security, and also European Union security,” he stated. The call to NATO reflects a broader concern over the emergence of new types of threats, particularly unmanned aerial systems.

As the war in Ukraine continues, Lithuania’s appeal highlights the consequences of the conflict beyond the immediate battlefield. It also underscores the current limitations of national air defenses in countering low-cost, saturation-based aerial threats, challenges that, according to Lithuanian officials, require a coordinated and collective response.