NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission, currently led by Italian Eurofighters at Šiauliai airbase, shot down a suspected Russian Gerbera- or Geran-type drone over central Lithuania on September 15 after it entered airspace from Belarus carrying explosives—the first such intercept in the country. The incident followed similar drone violations in Latvia and Estonia in recent months, driven by intensified Russia-Ukraine aerial exchanges where electronic warfare and jamming divert long-range attack drones off course. Lithuanian officials confirmed the payload and origin assessment, while NATO allies highlighted alliance readiness without escalation. Ongoing Russian strikes on Ukrainian targets and hybrid activity along the eastern flank sustain the risk of further airspace breaches, with NATO continuing routine patrols and alerts through the fall.