First the Danish helicopter grazed by a rocket, then the train hit at the border between Ukraine and Poland. Finally, a third piece. Late in the evening of Monday, September 14, two Eurofighter F-2000 fighters from the Task Force Air Baltic Thunder III of the Italian Air Force took off in scramble mode (emergency takeoff) from the Šiauliai base as part of the NATO air defense mission on the eastern flank of the Alliance, following the violation of Lithuanian airspace by a drone. The Italian crews intercepted the unmanned aircraft, neutralizing it in compliance with the operational procedures provided by the Alliance. The news was reported by the Ministry of Defense specifying that this was the second incident within a month involving our fighters.
Ask the Sun
The questions are automatically suggested by 24Ore AI
based on the displayed content.
Three moves that outline Russia’s current strategy, which is to subject Europe and the Atlantic Alliance to a sort of “stress test,” engaged in supporting Ukraine. The scenario is all in the words of the President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen. “Moscow is testing us, our determination is strengthening,” she said.
Suspected Russian origin of the drone
On September 14 and 15, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto was in Bulgaria, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia for a series of institutional meetings and to greet the Italian contingents engaged on the Eastern Flank. According to NATO sources, which have initiated investigations, the drone is of suspected Russian origin, but confirmation is awaited from investigations by Lithuanian and NATO authorities. A confirmation of this hypothesis comes from Crosetto: during a briefing with the media as part of the bilateral meeting held on Tuesday, September 15 in Lithuania with his counterpart Robertas Kaunas, he explained that it is “probable” that the downed drone was Russian. “Italy – added Crosetto – has been engaged within NATO operations on the Eastern flank for over 10 years, with ground troops, with the Navy, and in this country with significant commitment from the Italian Air Force. Also last night, as already a month ago, Italian pilots intervened and shot down a threat probably coming from Russia. The presence of Italian aircraft here is clear evidence of the value the Atlantic Alliance has for us and what the word Allies means to us.”
Read more Supplementary welfare applied by 46% of Ligurian companies
Lithuanian National Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas speaks while Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto watches during a press conference in Siauliai, Lithuania, September 15, 2026 (photo Reuters)
According to the head of the National Crisis Management Center (Nkvc), on Lithuanian national radio Lrt, the drone shot down in the Kaisiadorys district, near the village of Pratkunai, came “very likely” from neighboring Belarus, an ally of Russia, and was heading west. “We will not rush to conclusions, an investigation will be conducted and all circumstances will be evaluated,” the military said. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys announced that Vilnius will send a diplomatic note to Belarus to protest the incident and will consult with allies. “Once the investigations are concluded and the drone’s ownership is established, then we will take measures accordingly,” Budrys said, emphasizing that “the eastern flank of NATO must be strengthened and its resilience increased.”
As reported by The Guardian, Kaunas explained that the downed drone was attached to an explosive device. During searches at the incident site “an explosive device was found, later defused by bomb disposal experts,” the Lithuanian minister said.
Read more Revolut delivers data of 700 customers to scammers. The Italian trail
