Why is Lukashenko silent?
On the night of November 11, the Lithuanian Air Force received a communication via technical channels from Belarus regarding unidentified objects flying in its direction. Residents across the country were repeatedly alerted to potential air threats due to the possible presence of a drone within Lithuanian territory.
This is not the first time such an aerial incident has occurred involving our neighbors, with the Belarusian side issuing warnings about potential threats. A similar event took place in September 2025, when the Polish and Lithuanian militaries received alerts via a direct communication line. In May 2026, Minsk again warned Vilnius—as well as Riga and Tallinn—about a drone that might have entered their airspace.
Notably, on the night of November 11, a drone also flew over our own territory—specifically over the city of Zhlobin. It seems the drone itself signaled its arrival; local residents reported that half the city could hear the sound of its engine.
Furthermore, on the night of November 9–10, the sound of a drone was heard in the Vitebsk region. According to unconfirmed reports, it may have crashed in a village within the Liozna District.
Such flights through the “peaceful” skies of Belarus have become routine. Occasionally, these drones crash—sometimes even within the boundaries of towns or villages. Yet, unlike the Poles or the Lithuanians, ordinary Belarusians receive no advance warning from their own authorities regarding the approach of such drones.
For the general public, the security forces offer only instructions on what to do once an “uninvited guest” has already crashed. As noted by the Gomel-based outlet *Flagshtok*, a local newspaper in the Yelsk District published guidelines issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Ultimately, these recommendations serve primarily to make life easier for the security forces. Their primary concern, it seems, is to ensure that anyone who spots a drone does not take a photograph of it. For our part, we should reiterate the recommendations from Ukraine on how to act if a drone approaches.