Residents of Lithuania's capital told to shelter as drone alarm underlines NATO's eastern jitters
Residents of Vilnius were instructed to take shelter due to drone activity near the Belarus border, highlighting NATO's concerns amid ongoing tensions from Russia's war with Ukraine. The alert led to the closure of Vilnius Airport's airspace and the evacuation of political leaders. NATO Secretary-General praised the alliance's response to recent drone incidents, attributing the situation to Russia's actions.
- ▪An emergency announcement urged Vilnius residents to seek shelter due to detected drone activity.
- ▪The alert resulted in the evacuation of Lithuania's President and Prime Minister, as well as the closure of Vilnius Airport's airspace.
- ▪NATO Secretary-General commended the alliance's calm response to drone incidents, linking them to Russia's war on Ukraine.
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Residents of Vilnius were told to take shelter and Lithuania's President and Prime Minister were taken to safe locations on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) because of an alarm over drone activity near the border with Belarus, underlining jitters on The North Atlantic Treaty Organization‘s (NATO) eastern flank over incursions related to Russia's war with Ukraine.An emergency announcement from the military told people in the Vilnius region to “immediately head to a shelter or a safe place”. The alert, which lasted for about an hour, also led to the closure of the airspace over Vilnius Airport.
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