Lithuania demands explanation from Belarus over downed drone
In a diplomatic note, Lithuania expressed its "strong protest over the unlawful entry" of the unmanned aerial vehicle into Lithuanian airspace.
The authoritarian-ruled neighbouring country was asked to provide an explanation of last week's incident, the Foreign Ministry in Vilnius said on Thursday.
On July 10, a Russian-made drone from Belarus crashed in Lithuania near the border. It was a so-called Gerbera drone, which resembles the Shahed combat drones used by Russia in its war on Ukraine.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the incident was likely to be linked to an attack on Ukraine.
According to the Lithuanian military, the unmanned aerial vehicle was spotted outside the country's territory and crashed a few minutes after crossing the border.
The drone, which prompted Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and Parliament Speaker Saulius Skvernelis to take precautionary measures and seek shelter, posed no danger to the population as it was not equipped with explosives, the military said.
Lithuanian investigators are now looking into the possible purpose of the drone, which was made of plywood and foam. Discussions are also under way about how to respond to the incident.
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