Whose drone entered Lithuania? Political analyst Petrovsky’s version clashed with the official one

The possibility of Belarus serving as a platform for peace talks, given its role in the aggression against Ukraine, was the topic of discussion on August 8 on the program “Azaryonok. Directly” with host Grigory Azaryonok and political analyst Pyotr Petrovsky. Petrovsky argued that missile strikes launched from Belarusian territory at the start of the full-scale war should not stand in the way, since other states involved in military conflicts have acted as mediators “in numerous negotiations.” As an argument, he pointed to the drone found in Lithuania.

“Recently a drone flew into Lithuania. It turned out to be a Ukrainian drone. Doesn’t this show that Lithuania is a victim of Ukrainian aggression?” the political analyst asked.

Petrovsky was referring to the unmanned aerial vehicle that entered Lithuanian territory from Belarus in late July 2025. It was the second incident of this kind in recent weeks. Explosives were found inside the drone, which Lithuanian troops successfully defused. After the incident, Vilnius asked NATO for help in strengthening the country’s air defenses.

At the same time, Lithuanian authorities never claimed the drone was Ukrainian. Defense Minister Dovile Šakalienė suggested the drone was Russian, noting that it resembled the Russian-made “Gerbera.” She also said the drone had been launched from Russia toward Ukraine but strayed into Lithuania after being thrown off course by Ukrainian defenses.