Lithuania declares no-fly zone by Belarus border in response to drone incursions

VILNIUS (Reuters) -Lithuania has established a no-fly zone near its border with Belarus until October 1 in response to drones entering from there, NATO member Lithuania's defence ministry said on Thursday.

"This was done with regard to the security situation and the threats to society, including risks to civil aviation due to airspace violations by unpiloted aircraft," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The no-fly zone will give Lithuania's armed forces more time to react to airspace violations, the spokesperson said without specifying the exact location or size of the restricted area along the 679-kilometer (422 miles) border.

The decision comes after Polish officials reported on Wednesday that a Russian drone had crashed in a field in eastern Poland, an incident the country's defence minister described as a provocation.

In July, an unmanned aircraft built from plywood and foam flew into Lithuania from Belarus and crashed, causing alarm before authorities determined it was not dangerous.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas, writing by Stine Jcobsen, editing by Terje Solsvik)