Latest news with #BalticAirPolicing
Saudi Gazette
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Lithuanian politicians taken to shelters after Belarus airspace violation alarm
VILNIUS — Political leaders in Lithuania were briefly directed to air raid shelters on Thursday after the alarm was raised over an airspace violation from Belarus, Lithuanian media reported. Media reports stated that Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and Parliament Speaker Saulius Skvernelis were taken to safety as a precaution while the situation was being investigated. Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausėda is currently on a foreign trip in Ireland. Authorities were initially concerned that the unidentified flying object could be an Iranian-made Shahed drone of the type used by Russia in ongoing air strikes on Ukraine, the BNS news agency reported. The Lithuanian army confirmed in a post on Facebook that the object was detected at 11:30 am local time (10:30 am CEST). Fighter jets that were already in the air as part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission were scrambled to respond to the incident when the object fell to the ground around 1 kilometre from the border with Belarus. A closer investigation revealed that the object was an unmanned, makeshift plane reportedly made of plywood and foam, and it did not pose any danger. The Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (VSAT) said it had often recorded cases of attempts to transport contraband cigarettes from Belarus into Lithuania using balloons or makeshift drones. — Euronews
Euronews
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Lithuanian leaders taken to shelters after Belarus airspace violation
Political leaders in Lithuania were briefly directed to air raid shelters on Thursday after the alarm was raised over an airspace violation from Belarus, Lithuanian media reported. Media reports stated that Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and Parliament Speaker Saulius Skvernelis were taken to safety as a precaution while the situation was being investigated. Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausėda is currently on a foreign trip in Ireland. Authorities were initially concerned that the unidentified flying object could be an Iranian-made Shahed drone of the type used by Russia in ongoing air strikes on Ukraine, the BNS news agency reported. The Lithuanian army confirmed in a post on Facebook that the object was detected at 11:30 am local time (10:30 am CEST). Fighter jets that were already in the air as part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission were scrambled to respond to the incident when the object fell to the ground around one kilometre from the border with Belarus. A closer investigation revealed that the object was an unmanned, makeshift plane reportedly made of plywood and foam, and it did not pose any danger. The Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (VSAT) said it had often recorded cases of attempts to transport contraband cigarettes from Belarus into Lithuania using balloons or makeshift drones.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poland launches military operation after provocations by Russian warplanes over the Baltic
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has announced the launch of a new military operation to strengthen security and control over the airspace in the Baltic region, given provocations by Russia. Source: European Pravda, citing Polish news agency PAP Details: During the ceremony of conferring general ranks on Friday, Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that in response to incidents involving Russian aircraft in the Baltic region, the Polish Armed Forces launched a new operation. The operation, which began this week, has deployed additional planes and helicopters to patrol Polish airspace in the north. PAP, citing unofficial information, says the operation involves, among other things, the transfer of additional military helicopters from different regions to bases in the Baltic Sea region and the border with Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast. "This is a response to the threats we're dealing with, in particular incidents involving us or our allies - the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe," the Polish defence minister said. NATO air forces are currently taking part in the ongoing Baltic Air Policing mission, rotating aircraft to protect the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which do not possess their own air forces. Background: In April, Swedish Gripen fighter jets, which began patrolling NATO airspace from Poland, were scrambled for the first time due to the presence of a Russian warplane. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
