Lithuania warns Russia is exploiting drone incidents to spread disinformation

Vilmantas Vitkauskas, Head of Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre, has warned that Russia is exploiting drone incidents that occurred on the night of 10-11 November to spread disinformation.

As reported by Delfi, Vitkauskas said that claims were circulating on social media alleging that Lithuania was allowing Ukrainian drones to use its airspace to fly towards Russia.

Vitkauskas told journalists on Wednesday that claims suggesting Lithuania was facilitating or allowing Ukrainian drones to use its airspace were completely false.

He also drew attention to calls circulating on social media urging people to ignore warnings issued by government institutions.

Vitkauskas said it was difficult to determine whether such calls were being spread deliberately or simply out of ignorance. However, he stressed that all warnings and efforts by government institutions, particularly the Lithuanian Armed Forces, were aimed at protecting residents' wellbeing and lives.

He urged residents to heed official warnings and follow the instructions provided.

Vitkauskas also announced that a meeting of the National Security Commission would be convened on Wednesday to discuss the availability of shelters, procedures for opening them and their centralised management.

On the night of 10-11 November, residents of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania received air-raid warnings about the threat of drones entering their airspace amid a Ukrainian attack on the Russian port of Ust-Luga.

Ukrainian drones attacked the port of Ust-Luga in Leningrad Oblast, western Russia. Ust-Luga is one of the main ports Russia uses to transport its oil via the shadow fleet. It is located approximately 30-40 kilometres from the Estonian border.