Lithuania debates compensating for damage caused by NATO and armed forces

Lithuania's parliament has begun debating legislation that would establish a state compensation mechanism for property damage caused by Lithuanian armed forces or NATO allies during lawful use of military force.

The bill, drafted by the Defence Ministry, is primarily aimed at situations in which military drones entering Lithuanian airspace are shot down and their debris causes damage on the ground – a scenario that has become increasingly relevant as drone incidents in the Baltic states have grown more frequent.

Military drones, believed to have strayed off course due to Russian electronic warfare and GPS jamming, have repeatedly entered or crashed in the region in recent months.

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said material losses in such situations were unavoidable and that it was necessary to put a clear legal framework in place. Depending on the amount involved and the state's financial capacity, compensation payments could be spread over up to ten years.

The bill also broadens the legal basis for the use of military force, extending it beyond unmanned aerial vehicles to cover other remote-controlled or autonomous objects.

During Thursday's debate, some lawmakers suggested widening the scope of the legislation beyond the military and NATO allies to include other statutory forces. The proposal was approved by consensus on its first reading and is due to return to the plenary session on June 23, following committee deliberations.

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