NATO Jets Scramble as Drones Stray Into Baltic Airspace During Ukraine Strikes on Russia

NATO fighter jets scrambled overnight after at least four drones strayed into the airspace of the Baltic states during Ukrainian strikes on Russia, officials said on Wednesday. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia issued brief alerts telling people to seek shelter. No injuries were reported in the three countries.

One warning covered Kaunas, Lithuania's second most populous city, home to about 300,000 people. Lithuanian authorities broadcast a code yellow air alert late on Tuesday, November 10, after an unidentified object was detected over Belarus heading toward the region. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius called it "a difficult night" and said four drones had been detected across the region. The alerts were lifted hours later.

Two failed attempts over Lithuania

Lithuanian forces tried twice to shoot down a drone over the country and failed both times, and the drone later crossed into Latvia, Lithuanian armed forces Chief of Defence Staff Giedrius Premeneckas told a news conference. "We can only assume some of the drones involved in the attack against Russia were diverted by electronic warfare measures, but there is no confirmed information as to whether the drone was Ukrainian or Russian," Premeneckas said.

Vilnius airport shut during the threat and reopened once the alert was called off. Latvia's National Armed Forces raised an orange level alert over a possible airspace threat in the eastern regions of Ludza, Kraslava and Augsdaugava.

Finland restricts the Gulf of Finland

Finland, which also borders Russia, imposed temporary restrictions on airspace and maritime activity in the eastern Gulf of Finland early on Wednesday and lifted them later. The Finnish Defence Forces said the aviation restriction took effect at 2:09 a.m. and the maritime restriction at 2:15 a.m. "The restrictions were a precautionary measure to ensure the authorities' ability to operate and the safety of bystanders," the defence forces said.

The strikes behind the alerts

The drones crossed the region on a night when Ukrainian drones attacked Russia's northwest, home to major Baltic Sea export facilities and a large oil refinery. A fire broke out in the Ust-Luga port area and three people were injured. In Russia's Smolensk region, falling drone debris killed two people, Russian newswires reported, citing the regional governor.

Russia also struck Ukraine overnight. A Russian air strike knocked out power in parts of Kryvyi Rih, one person was injured in Kharkiv and six more were injured in Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian officials and emergency services said.

Moscow has accused Kyiv of using NATO airspace as cover for its attacks. Kyiv says Russian signal jamming sometimes sends its drones off course. NATO countries generally blame Russia for the incidents, pointing to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The overnight alerts came as Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Abu Dhabi, where the two sides agreed on Wednesday to a large exchange of prisoners of war.