Lithuania has called on NATO to bolster its air defences following Russian drones from Belarus violating its airspace, one of which allegedly carried explosives, according to authorities. Vilnius says defending NATO’s eastern flank should be a shared responsibility.
Lithuania's foreign and defence ministries have formally requested NATO’s assistance in strengthening the country’s air defences in a letter to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“This must not be only Lithuania's responsibility, because we are defending the eastern NATO flank,” said Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys on Tuesday. Lithuania, a NATO and European Union member, shares borders with both Russia and Belarus.
In one incident, a Gerbera drone — identified as a wooden replica of the Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze drone — entered Lithuanian territory on 28 July and crashed in a military training zone roughly 100 km from the Belarusian border according to Lithuanian army officials who said the drone carried 2 kg of explosives.
Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said that the drone may have originally been directed toward Ukraine but was diverted by Ukrainian air defences.
A separate drone incident on 10 July prompted brief emergency evacuations of top Lithuanian officials, including then-Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and Speaker of Parliament Saulius Skvernelis. Authorities later deemed the drone non-threatening.
NATO responded by confirming it is monitoring the situation and noted that Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Gregory M. Grynkewich has the authority to take necessary defensive measures.
The alliance also highlighted ongoing efforts by member states to enhance detection and counter-drone capabilities.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday...
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are m...
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his governmen...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his government faces growing public frustration and a resurgent far right.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations against Islamic State since 2016, the Transport Ministry said.
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United States.
World leaders are set to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for several days of high-level debate, with Iran, Ukraine, artificial intelligence (AI) and a range of global crises expected to dominate discussions this week.
Ed Sheeran has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his U.S. tour, apologising for decisions made after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his public support for Palestine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment