NATO jets scramble as drone crashes in Lithuania near Latvian border

A drone triggered an air alert in Lithuania and Latvia, prompting NATO fighter jets to scramble, and crashed near Pasvalys in northern Lithuania, close to the Latvian border. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda linked the incident to Russia's war against Ukraine, though the drone's origin was not detailed. Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported it likely entered from Poland. Military police found drone fragments in Juodžionys after an explosion was heard. Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said radars detected the object at 03:00 GMT, but poor weather prevented visual contact. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius called for assessing possible sabotage and convened a National Security Commission meeting for Monday. This was the first serious incident since NATO jets downed a lost Russian drone over Lithuania on September 15.