Belarus protests to Lithuania over drone violation of its airspace
Minsk, May 21
Belarus summoned Lithuania's Charge d'Affaires Erikas Vilkanecas to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday after a Ukrainian military drone launched from Lithuanian territory violated Belarusian airspace.
During a meeting with Vilkanecas, Belarusian officials condemned repeated border violations, saying a "Chaika" drone, initially targeting Russian sites, was detected in the country's north near Stanislavtsy in the Vitebsk region on Sunday, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ruslan Varankov said.
Despite its origin in Lithuania, no preventive measures or advance notifications were taken, in contrast to Belarus' own practices, said Varankov, noting such actions pose a direct security risk to the country and violate international legal norms, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to Varankov, Minsk demanded that Lithuania conduct an official investigation into the incident and take measures to prevent future violations of Belarusian airspace and border security.
Meanwhile, the Latvian armed forces said at least one foreign drone entered the country's airspace on Thursday, the latest in a series of drone incursions reported across the Baltic States in recent months.
Authorities issued air alerts in several eastern Latvian regions, while NATO fighter jets participating in the Baltic Air Policing mission were scrambled in response. The alert was lifted later in the day.
The incident came days after Estonia said a NATO fighter jet had shot down a drone over its territory, while Lithuania reported that a military drone carrying explosives had crashed after entering its airspace. On May 7, two drones crashed into an oil storage facility in Latvia's Rezekne.
Baltic authorities believe many of the drones are Ukrainian aircraft intended for strikes on Russian targets that veered off course into neighbouring countries' airspace.
Baltic authorities believe many of the drones are Ukrainian aircraft intended for strikes on Russian targets, but veered off course into the airspace of neighbouring countries.
So far, no casualties have been reported in the incidents. However, the crash of two drones in Rezekne triggered political fallout, leading to the dismissal of the country's defence minister and the subsequent resignation of Prime Minister Evika Silina's government.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As an Indian watching this, I feel for the Baltic states caught in the crossfire between Russia and Ukraine. But Belarus demanding investigations while ignoring their own role in enabling Russian aggression? That's rich. Both sides need to ensure civilian safety first, not play blame games.
The prime minister resigning over two drone crashes? That's what happens when security becomes a political football. 😤 India knows all about cross-border drone threats - we deal with it on our western border daily. These countries need better radar systems and coordination, not political drama.
It's concerning how many drones are going off course. Whether Ukrainian or Russian, these incursions are violations of sovereignty. Latvia's air alert yesterday caused panic among locals. NATO needs to step up its Baltic presence or establish no-fly zones to prevent accidental strikes.
Belarus protesting about border violations? Talk about pot calling the kettle black. They've been allowing Wagner mercenaries and Russian military movements along their border with Poland. The West should investigate these incidents properly, but Minsk needs to clean up its own backyard first. 🚁
The amount of drones in this conflict is staggering. From a security perspective, what's happening in the Baltics is a warning sign for the entire region. If Ukraine can't control its drones, and Russia doesn't care, then Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are left picking up the pieces. Not fair at all.
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