Russia Appears to Be Stepping Up Its Tests of NATO

NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight, officials said Tuesday, a day after the head of the alliance said strikes close to its territory would only increase its support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. Military officials in Lithuania, a NATO member, said the incident marked the first time that a drone had been shot down in its airspace, reports the AP. Authorities didn't comment on the drone's origin or purpose, saying further investigation was needed, but two senior officials said the device was likely carrying explosives. Officials in other NATO countries, including Germany, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Poland, have in recent weeks accused Russia of involvement in drone incursions, sabotage, arson, and surveillance of defense facilities and in plans to use a drone carrying explosives to attack an airport.

Strikes close to NATO territory showed Russian President Vladimir Putin's "desperation and also his desire to sow fear and terror," NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Monday. He spoke after a Russian drone struck a railway line near the Ukraine-Poland border Sunday. Rutte pledged to bolster the alliance's own defenses along its long eastern border with Russia and with Belarus, a Russian ally. Separately, Denmark said Tuesday that one of its air force helicopters was fired on with flares as it was carrying out surveillance of a Russian frigate in the Baltic Sea. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, said the incidents in Lithuania and Denmark were not isolated but "part of a broader pattern of Russian aggression and provocation against Europe, testing our readiness and our resolve." "Russia will find our resolve only growing stronger," she said.

The drone downed Tuesday in Lithuania fell near the village of Pratkunai, about 60 miles west of the capital, Vilnius, Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center said Tuesday. Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the crisis center, told Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT that the drone most likely entered from Belarus. It remained in Lithuanian airspace for about 30 minutes and flew along the outskirts of populated areas before being intercepted, he said. Writing on Facebook on Tuesday, Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said an explosive device was detected on the drone and neutralized by bomb-disposal experts.

Meanwhile, Denmark accused Russia of firing flares at one of its air force helicopters in connection with "routine photographic coverage" of a Russian frigate in waters off the port of Gedser in the Baltic Sea. "This is completely unacceptable," the Danish Foreign Ministry wrote on X, saying that the Russian ambassador was summoned over the incident. Russia's ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, said it was "not the first time" that Danish air force helicopters "carried out dangerous maneuvers near Russian warships." He said the Danish helicopter conducted "provocative actions against the Russian frigate."