Lithuania probes drone crash and Starlink arson attempt near Vilnius

Lithuania is investigating a drone crash and an attempted arson attack on Starlink equipment near Vilnius, linking both incidents to Russian aggression against Ukraine. On October 18, an unidentified drone entered Lithuanian airspace, triggering alerts in Lithuania and Latvia and briefly halting operations at Kaunas airport. The drone's wreckage was found in the Pasvalys district, damaging a civilian car, though no injuries were reported. Lithuanian authorities attempted to shoot down the drone but failed due to poor weather conditions, prompting a review of visual identification protocols. Lithuanian officials called the Starlink arson attempt a Russian sabotage operation aimed at undermining Ukraine's military capabilities, citing similar attacks in Poland and Bulgaria. Ukraine's foreign ministry suggested the drone may have been Ukrainian but redirected by Russian electronic warfare, while Lithuania also linked Russia to the airspace intrusion.