NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission has conducted multiple drone intercepts in 2026 amid repeated airspace violations tied to Russia's war in Ukraine. Italian jets shot down a suspected Russian Geran-2 drone over Lithuania on September 15, the first such engagement in that country, after it entered from Belarus carrying explosives. Earlier intercepts occurred in Latvia (June and August) and Estonia (May), often involving Ukrainian drones diverted by Russian electronic warfare. These incidents have prompted heightened NATO alerts, investigations, and statements from Baltic leaders emphasizing defense of alliance territory. Ongoing Russian strikes near NATO borders and hybrid tactics sustain the risk of further incursions, with Baltic states maintaining rapid-response protocols through multinational fighter rotations.