Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed regret on 18/10 for an incident involving a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in Lithuanian airspace. "Electronic warfare measures likely diverted the UAV during an operation targeting legitimate military objectives in Russia," Tykhyi stated. "We apologize for any disruption, risk, or concern this may have caused. We are committed to sharing all relevant information with our Lithuanian partners to clarify the incident's full details."

Residents in northern and central Lithuania sought shelter for an hour on the morning of 18/10 after an "unidentified flying object" appeared. Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas reported the object entered national airspace from Poland, and Vilnius requested a joint investigation with Warsaw.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda commented on social media, "The Ukraine conflict is spreading to the eastern flank of the European Union (EU) and NATO. What appears to be a UAV exploded in the country's north, posing a danger to civilians."

Lithuania's government crisis management center reported that NATO fighter jets deployed to northern and central areas during a red alert. Kaunas Airport, near Lithuania's second largest city, was closed.

Cloudy skies prevented NATO aircraft from identifying the suspicious object or attempting to shoot it down. The Lithuanian military is investigating debris believed to be from the UAV, which disappeared from radar, possibly after self-detonating. Minister Kaunas confirmed some debris struck a vehicle.

A NATO official confirmed to Reuters that two Italian Air Force Typhoon fighter jets responded to the UAV's intrusion into Lithuanian airspace. "The aircraft operate under NATO command. An investigation is underway, and NATO remains in close contact with Lithuanian authorities," the official stated, emphasizing the alliance's readiness to respond to any threat.

The Polish military initially investigated a potential airspace violation by an unidentified object. However, a spokesperson for Poland's Ministry of Defense later stated that radar could not confirm the object crossed the border into Lithuanian territory, adding that officials from both nations remain in contact.

Latvia also issued a temporary "yellow" air alert in areas bordering Lithuania, citing a "potential threat." Russia's Ministry of Defense has not commented on the incident.

Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland are all NATO members. NATO's Article 5 states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on the entire alliance, triggering a collective response.

The incident coincided with a large-scale Ukrainian attack on St. Petersburg, Russia. Russian officials reported one fatality and five injuries, with 12 apartment buildings and two private homes damaged. Fires also erupted at St. Petersburg's oil port, the Ruchyi oil depot, and industrial warehouses in Kolpinsky.

Ukrainian UAVs have repeatedly entered Baltic airspace in recent months, with Kyiv attributing these diversions to enemy signal jamming. This pattern raises concerns about the Ukraine conflict spreading to NATO member states.

By Pham Giang (Reuters, Ukrainska Pravda)