Lithuania’s capital Vilnius triggered its first full‑scale air‑raid alert since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 after a drone approached from the east. The red‑alert command, run from an underground crisis centre, ordered the president, prime minister, mayor, schoolchildren and hundreds of thousands of residents into shelters. The device, officials say, originated in Ukraine before veering off course, and prompted a nationwide siren test.

In recent weeks dozens of Ukrainian drones have breached NATO airspace over Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Romania and the Baltics, some striking Russian ports while others stray into civilian zones. A swarm headed toward Constanta self‑detonated, prompting evacuations and beach closures. Lithuanian fire‑rescue chief Gen. Renatas Pozela said the incidents blur the line between friend and foe, raising concerns among local businesses.

The surge in drone activity forces NATO allies to expand detection networks, adding acoustic sensors to radar grids and hardening critical infrastructure. Defense firms across the region anticipate new contracts for counter‑UAS systems, while governments grapple with diplomatic pressure from Moscow, which accuses Kyiv of endangering its partners. Lithuania and Romania have urged Kyiv to tighten launch controls, and insurance premiums for logistics firms are climbing.