NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that had entered Lithuanian airspace overnight, officials said today.

This followed Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte saying that Russian strikes close to the alliance’s territory would lead the transatlantic military alliance to increase its support for Kiev.

The drone was downed near the village of Pratkunai in the Kaisiadorys district, about 60 miles west of the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and near the Kaunas reservoir, Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre said today.

Lithuania’s military said that it was the first time a drone had been shot down in the country’s airspace. Authorities didn’t comment on the drone’s origin or purpose, saying the incident needed further investigation.

Mr Rutte, speaking at Nato headquarters in Brussels on Monday, said that strikes “close to Nato territory” showed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation and also his desire to sow fear and terror.”

He claimed: “Russia is growing increasingly reckless as it continues its terrible war against Ukraine.”

The Nato chief also pledged to bolster the 32-nation alliance’s own defences along its long eastern border with Russia.

The drone menace has repeatedly loomed over the skies of Lithuania, which shares borders with Belarus, a key ally of Moscow, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Lithuanian air force commander Antanas Matutis said the wreckage had been found and the drone was “likely” to have been carrying explosives.

Crisis centre head Vilmantas Vitkauskas told Lithuanian broadcaster LRT that the drone had probably entered from Belarus. 

It remained in Lithuanian airspace for about 30 minutes, flyling along the outskirts of populated areas, before being intercepted, he said.

Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes continued across Ukraine following a social media post by US President Donald Trump on Monday asserting that Russia and Ukraine had agreed “not to hit” each other’s energy infrastructure.

He gave no details of the purported agreement and Russia didn’t immediately comment. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday night that Kiev was “ready to support de-escalation.”

He claimed that Russia was “feeling the pressure from our precise strikes” on its war economy. 

“But if our American partners can ensure that Russia is genuinely ready to stop this war aimed at destroying life, and to do so for real and for the long term, Ukraine will take its own de-escalatory steps,” Mr Zelensky added.