cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/39917428

Lithuania’s foreign ministry has written to the NATO military alliance asking it to help strengthen its air defences, it said on Tuesday, after two military drones crossed into its territory from Belarus last month.

“This must not be only Lithuania’s responsibility, because we are defending the eastern NATO flank,” Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told reporters.

NATO and European Union member Lithuania borders Russia and Moscow’s ally, Belarus.

The letter from Lithuania’s foreign and defence ministers to NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte said the alliance must show it is ready to defend “every centimetre of its territory”.

In an emailed comment, NATO said it was monitoring the situation closely.

“The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Grynkewich, has the ability to decide measures he deems necessary. Allies are also procuring and developing detection and counter-drone capabilities,” NATO said.

In the most recent incident, a drone crossed into Lithuania on July 28, which Lithuania suspects was directed by Russia at Ukraine, but that it was disoriented by Ukraine’s defences, Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said on Tuesday.

The drone was found crashed in a military training area about 100 kilometres (62.14 miles) from the border with Belarus and contained 2 kg (4 lb) of explosives, the chief of staff of the Lithuanian army, Dainius Paskevicius, told reporters.