An investigation is underway in Lithuania into the drone incident that flew in from Belarusian territory on Thursday, July 10. The country’s Minister of Defense, Dovilė Šakalienė, claims it was a Gerbera drone. The military emphasizes that the object did not pose a threat, but they are assessing all possible purposes and scenarios for its use, UNN reports with reference to LRT.
We can confirm that it is a “Gerbera”. The use of such a drone can be varied, we are investigating the purposes for which it was done. Currently, we have no data that this object was intentionally sent to our territory.
– said Šakalienė on LRT RADIO.
Military spokesman Arūnas Kumpis also agreed with the minister and noted that this UAV was first detected in Ukraine at the end of July last year, when it attacked Kyiv.
“It is produced in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, where Shahed-136 is produced. They began to be used as decoy drones to imitate Shahed-136, their Russian equivalent Geran-2. What is inside is not visually visible,” he said, adding that the object that fell on the country’s territory poses no threat.
However, the military spokesman denies media speculation that it could have been a Shahed drone.
Major Gintautas Ciunis of the Lithuanian Armed Forces says the investigation is still ongoing.
Addition
Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis were taken to a bomb shelter on Thursday due to airspace violation of Lithuania from Belarus. Initially, it was assumed that a Russian attack drone of the “Shahed” type had flown into the country.