{
  "id": "3c9afe28-a5e9-4a44-8685-2bc0095c9300",
  "url": "https://lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2759365/lithuania-s-public-security-service-to-use-machine-guns-to-shoot-down-drones",
  "source": "extension",
  "status": "approved",
  "category": "Military & Paramilitary Operations",
  "subcategory": "High-Tech Military Tools",
  "incident_type": "Drone swarms & UAV surveillance",
  "country": "Lithuania",
  "source_reliability": "B",
  "info_credibility": "3",
  "tags": [
    "Lithuania",
    "Public Security Service",
    "drones",
    "counter-drone",
    "machine guns",
    "ammunition",
    "air defense",
    "Russian drones",
    "smuggling balloons",
    "airport disruption",
    "Vilnius airport",
    "Kaunas airport"
  ],
  "nodes": [
    "Node 1: Borders"
  ],
  "countries": [],
  "where_text": "Land",
  "headline": "Lithuania’s Public Security Service to use machine guns to shoot down drones",
  "description": "On November 28, 2025, Lithuania’s Public Security Service (VST) announced plans to acquire heavy-calibre machine guns with specialized ammunition safe for peacetime use to counter hostile drones as early as next year. VST Commander Viktoras Grabauskas explained that these programmable rounds have self-destruct features, making them suitable for civilian environments, unlike some current kinetic drone-countering equipment which is unsafe outside military use. The VST would be prepared to shoot down drones posing immediate threats to critical infrastructure, but is not responsible for addressing smuggler balloons that disrupted Lithuanian airports this autumn, an area overseen by military air traffic control. The balloons caused temporary shutdowns of Vilnius and Kaunas airports affecting 36,000 passengers and 249 flight cancellations or diversions. Furthermore, the VST plans to purchase interceptor drones next year amid increased national focus on air defense after two Russian drones, including one carrying explosives, entered Lithuanian airspace in July.",
  "summary_short": "Lithuania’s Public Security Service plans to acquire machine guns with safe ammunition to shoot down hostile drones by 2026, focusing on threats to critical infrastructure amid recent drone incursions and smuggler balloon disruptions.",
  "summary_extended": "Lithuania’s Public Security Service (VST) intends to obtain heavy-calibre machine guns equipped with programmable ammunition that self-destruct, ensuring safety in peacetime environments, to counter hostile drone incursions starting in 2026. This development responds to the growing threat posed by drones, including Russian drone incidents earlier in 2025. The VST already possesses some drone-countering tools but found many unsuitable for civilian settings. The service emphasized it is responsible for protection of airport infrastructure but not for addressing smuggler balloons, which led to Lithuania temporarily closing its border with Belarus and caused significant flight disruptions affecting over 36,000 passengers. The VST also plans to acquire interceptor drones next year, reflecting the priority placed on air defense following drone threats. The statement was made by VST Commander Viktoras Grabauskas following a cooperation agreement signing with the Vilnius municipality.",
  "actor_primary": "Lithuania’s Public Security Service (VST)",
  "target_primary": null,
  "location_text": "Vilnius and Kaunas airports",
  "location_region": null,
  "location_coordinates_lat": null,
  "location_coordinates_lon": null,
  "location_precision": "Approximate",
  "is_aggressor_signal": true,
  "signal_type": "DEFENSE_PREP_SIGNAL",
  "is_hybrid_war_signal": true,
  "classification_complete": true,
  "hybrid_signal_complete": true,
  "classification_confidence": "High",
  "classification_rationale": "Classified as aggressor because the article describes Russian drone incursions carrying explosives into Lithuanian airspace and smuggler balloons causing disruptions. Classified as defense preparation because Lithuania’s Public Security Service is acquiring new machine guns and interceptor drones to counter hostile drones and protect critical infrastructure.",
  "event_time_utc": "2025-11-28T15:25:00.000Z",
  "end_time_utc": null,
  "event_time_confidence": "exact",
  "created_at": "2026-03-23T15:50:01.227Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-04T08:35:32.139Z",
  "reliability_band": "strong",
  "location_precision_band": "approximate",
  "time_precision_band": "exact",
  "severity_band": "moderate",
  "attribution_confidence_band": "high",
  "attribution_basis": "single_source"
}

{
  "id": "3c9afe28-a5e9-4a44-8685-2bc0095c9300",
  "url": "https://lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2759365/lithuania-s-public-security-service-to-use-machine-guns-to-shoot-down-drones",
  "source": "extension",
  "status": "approved",
  "category": "Military & Paramilitary Operations",
  "subcategory": "High-Tech Military Tools",
  "incident_type": "Drone swarms & UAV surveillance",
  "country": "Lithuania",
  "source_reliability": "B",
  "info_credibility": "3",
  "tags": [
    "Lithuania",
    "Public Security Service",
    "drones",
    "counter-drone",
    "machine guns",
    "ammunition",
    "air defense",
    "Russian drones",
    "smuggling balloons",
    "airport disruption",
    "Vilnius airport",
    "Kaunas airport"
  ],
  "nodes": [
    "Node 1: Borders"
  ],
  "countries": [],
  "where_text": "Land",
  "headline": "Lithuania’s Public Security Service to use machine guns to shoot down drones",
  "description": "On November 28, 2025, Lithuania’s Public Security Service (VST) announced plans to acquire heavy-calibre machine guns with specialized ammunition safe for peacetime use to counter hostile drones as early as next year. VST Commander Viktoras Grabauskas explained that these programmable rounds have self-destruct features, making them suitable for civilian environments, unlike some current kinetic drone-countering equipment which is unsafe outside military use. The VST would be prepared to shoot down drones posing immediate threats to critical infrastructure, but is not responsible for addressing smuggler balloons that disrupted Lithuanian airports this autumn, an area overseen by military air traffic control. The balloons caused temporary shutdowns of Vilnius and Kaunas airports affecting 36,000 passengers and 249 flight cancellations or diversions. Furthermore, the VST plans to purchase interceptor drones next year amid increased national focus on air defense after two Russian drones, including one carrying explosives, entered Lithuanian airspace in July.",
  "summary_short": "Lithuania’s Public Security Service plans to acquire machine guns with safe ammunition to shoot down hostile drones by 2026, focusing on threats to critical infrastructure amid recent drone incursions and smuggler balloon disruptions.",
  "summary_extended": "Lithuania’s Public Security Service (VST) intends to obtain heavy-calibre machine guns equipped with programmable ammunition that self-destruct, ensuring safety in peacetime environments, to counter hostile drone incursions starting in 2026. This development responds to the growing threat posed by drones, including Russian drone incidents earlier in 2025. The VST already possesses some drone-countering tools but found many unsuitable for civilian settings. The service emphasized it is responsible for protection of airport infrastructure but not for addressing smuggler balloons, which led to Lithuania temporarily closing its border with Belarus and caused significant flight disruptions affecting over 36,000 passengers. The VST also plans to acquire interceptor drones next year, reflecting the priority placed on air defense following drone threats. The statement was made by VST Commander Viktoras Grabauskas following a cooperation agreement signing with the Vilnius municipality.",
  "actor_primary": "Lithuania’s Public Security Service (VST)",
  "target_primary": null,
  "location_text": "Vilnius and Kaunas airports",
  "location_region": null,
  "location_coordinates_lat": null,
  "location_coordinates_lon": null,
  "location_precision": "Approximate",
  "is_aggressor_signal": true,
  "signal_type": "DEFENSE_PREP_SIGNAL",
  "is_hybrid_war_signal": true,
  "classification_complete": true,
  "hybrid_signal_complete": true,
  "classification_confidence": "High",
  "classification_rationale": "Classified as aggressor because the article describes Russian drone incursions carrying explosives into Lithuanian airspace and smuggler balloons causing disruptions. Classified as defense preparation because Lithuania’s Public Security Service is acquiring new machine guns and interceptor drones to counter hostile drones and protect critical infrastructure.",
  "event_time_utc": "2025-11-28T15:25:00.000Z",
  "end_time_utc": null,
  "event_time_confidence": "exact",
  "created_at": "2026-03-23T15:50:01.227Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-04T08:35:32.139Z",
  "reliability_band": "strong",
  "location_precision_band": "approximate",
  "time_precision_band": "exact",
  "severity_band": "moderate",
  "attribution_confidence_band": "high",
  "attribution_basis": "single_source"
}