A Vilnius shelter alert was issued in Lithuania after military officials detected drone activity near the country’s border with Belarus, raising fresh security concerns on NATO’s eastern flank.

Residents in the Vilnius region were told to move to shelters or safe locations as authorities assessed the possible threat. Airspace over Vilnius Airport was temporarily closed, and Lithuania’s president, Gitanas Nauseda, and Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene were moved to safe locations as a precaution.

Officials Say No Drone Entered Lithuanian Airspace

Lithuanian officials said the activity was detected near Belarus, but no drone was reported over Lithuanian territory. Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center, said the object appeared most likely to be either a combat drone or a decoy drone designed to mislead air-defense systems.

Officials said they could not confirm whether the object carried a warhead. Belarus had notified Lithuania and Latvia about the potential drone activity, according to the report.

Why NATO’s Eastern Flank Is on Edge

The alert added to growing concern across the Baltic region as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to produce drone-related security risks near NATO territory. Lithuania borders Belarus, a close Russian ally, and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, making the country one of NATO’s most closely watched eastern members.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said recent drone-related incidents had been met with a calm, decisive and proportionate response. The Lithuania alert also followed a separate incident in which a NATO jet shot down a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia.

Vilnius Residents Describe Fear After Alert

Some Vilnius residents said the warning caused confusion and anxiety. Maryia Malevich said she and colleagues went downstairs and waited about 30 minutes before the all-clear was issued, adding that they were not prepared for such an alert. Iuliia Dudkina said her husband urged her to take their dog to an underground garage, though she found few others sheltering there.

The incident did not result in a confirmed strike on Lithuania, but it showed how drone activity tied to the Russia-Ukraine war is increasingly testing civilian readiness and NATO security procedures near the alliance’s eastern border.