NATO jets down drone over Lithuania after alliance warns strikes will drive support for Ukraine

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight, officials said Tuesday, less than a day after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that strikes close to the alliance's territory would drive the trans-Atlantic organization to increase its support for Kyiv.

The drone was downed near the village of Pratkūnai in the Kaišiadorys district, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) west of the country's capital, Vilnius, and near the Kaunas Reservoir, Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center said Tuesday.

Lithuania’s military said that the incident marked the first time that a drone had been shot down in the country’s airspace. Authorities didn’t comment on the drone’s origin or purpose, saying the incident needed further investigation.

The incursion follows a speech by Rutte on Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels, where he said that strikes “close to NATO territory” showed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation and also his desire to sow fear and terror.”

“Russia is growing increasingly reckless as it continues its terrible war against Ukraine,” Rutte said. He also pledged to bolster the 32-nation alliance's own defenses along its long eastern border with Russia.

The menace of drones has repeatedly loomed over the skies of Lithuania, which shares borders with Belarus, a key ally of Moscow, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Antanas Matutis, commander of the Lithuanian air force, said that the wreckage had been found, and the drone was “likely” carrying explosives.

Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the crisis center, told Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT that the drone most likely entered from Belarus. It remained in Lithuanian airspace for about 30 minutes and flew along the outskirts of populated areas before being intercepted, he said.

In a separate encounter between Russian and NATO forces Tuesday, Denmark’s Foreign Ministry said that a Danish air force helicopter had been fired upon with flares in connection with “routine photographic coverage” of a Russian frigate in waters off the port of Gedser in the Baltic Sea.

“This is completely unacceptable,” the ministry wrote on X, saying that the Russian ambassador was summoned over the incident.

Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes continued across Ukraine following a social media post from U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed “not to hit” each other’s energy infrastructure.

Trump didn't offer further details on the purported agreement, and Russia didn't immediately comment on Trump’s post. Previous efforts to broker even a partial ceasefire have repeatedly fallen apart within hours, with both sides accusing each other of violations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Monday that Kyiv was “ready to support de-escalation” if the United States could ensure “Russia is genuinely ready to stop this war.”

But Zelenskyy said in a statement on Tuesday that Moscow had continued to attack Ukraine's energy sector, logistics and critical infrastructure, and that Kyiv had responded by striking an oil refinery in Syzran, a city in western Russia.

“There is no alternative to ending this war. And all forms of pressure on Russia must create the right diplomatic conditions,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said Tuesday that Russian strikes on Kyiv had killed one person and wounded seven other people since the start of the day, with attacks carried out on the capital's gas stations.

Another two people were killed in separate Russian strikes in the Ukrainian cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.

Elsewhere, Russian forces shot down 222 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

A “massive” Ukrainian drone attack sparked several fires in the Russian city of Taganrog, regional Gov. Yuri Slyusar said. He said on Telegram that two apartment buildings and three private homes had been damaged, as well as an educational institution, agricultural warehouses and a site belonging to Russian e-retailer Ozon.

Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Kyiv's forces had targeted a drone production facility in the city.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

In this undated photo provided by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Press Office, Ruslan Kravchenko, Prosecutor General of Ukraine poses for photo in his office in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Press Office via AP)

Lithuanian soldiers are securing the area where Italian fighter jets during NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission shot down a drone early this morning near Pratkunai village, Kaisiadorys district some 90km (55,9 miles) northwest of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. (AP Photo) CAPTION CORRECTION: corrects removes byline attribution

Lithuanian soldiers are securing the area where Italian fighter jets during NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission shot down a drone early morning near Pratkunai village, Kaisiadorys district some 90km (55,9 miles) northwest of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. (AP Photo) corrects and removes byline attribution

Lithuanian soldiers are securing the area where Italian fighter jets during NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission shot down a drone early this morning near Pratkunai village, Kaisiadorys district some 90km (55,9 miles) northwest of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. (AP Photo) CAPTION CORRECTION: corrects removes byline attribution

Lithuanian soldiers are securing the area where Italian fighter jets during NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission shot down a drone early this morning near Pratkunai village, Kaisiadorys district some 90km (55,9 miles) northwest of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Monaco's Foreign Minister Isabelle Berro-Amadei walks past the Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Lithuanian soldiers are securing the area where Italian fighter jets during NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission shot down a drone early morning near Pratkunai village, Kaisiadorys district some 90km (55,9 miles) northwest of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Lithuanian soldiers are securing the area where Italian fighter jets during NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission shot down a drone early this morning near Pratkunai village, Kaisiadorys district some 90km (55,9 miles) northwest of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr.'s 429-foot home run to straightaway center field leading off the third inning got the sellout crowd of 47,712 at Petco Park revved up and waving their yellow rally towels.

That was pretty much the extent of the excitement for those fans as the San Diego Padres once again fell short of winning their first World Series.

Tatis' second homer of the postseason tied the score at 1, but the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Padres 3-1 on Wednesday night to take their best-of-five NL Division Series in four games.

Manny Machado nearly tied it with a two-run homer in the eighth, but Garrett Mitchell made the catch at the center-field fence to rob him.

With the crowd on its feet still hoping for a comeback, pinch-hitter Gavin Sheets struck out to end it and the Brewers had a muted celebration on the field.

San Diego had only three hits.

“So many emotions,” said Tatis, who didn't hit his first home run until May 30 but finished with a 25-25 season that included some spectacular home run-robbing catches in right field.

“This group is so special, man, and we went through so many downs and ups this year, and how we became one. We went through every battle and just stuck together. It was such an enjoyable group to play baseball together and to go through the rough times, and the only thing I can say is thank you to every single one of them.”

While the top-seeded Brewers head home to get ready to host the Padres' biggest rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, the Padres head off into an uncertain offseason.

New owners José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones brought an exciting vibe to the team when they took over in late August. Now it's up to them to back general manager A.J. Preller in trying to get San Diego that elusive World Series title.

The Padres haven't been to the Fall Classic since making it for a second time in 1998. They didn't win either one.

This year, their third consecutive 90-win season carried them into the playoffs for the third straight autumn, both club records.

They did it behind rookie manager Craig Stammen, a surprise hire last fall after Mike Shildt retired less than two weeks after the Padres were eliminated by the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in the wild-card round.

The Padres struggled so much during the first half that fans wondered if Preller would trade fireballing closer Mason Miller. But he kept Miller and the Padres turned it on in the second half to reach the postseason.

“It stings right now, for sure,” said Machado, who chatted with the new owners in the clubhouse after the game.

The Padres beat the Cubs in two games at Petco Park last week to sweep their Wild Card Series before losing two close, riveting games in Milwaukee.

San Diego stayed alive with a 4-3 win Tuesday night in which Michael King, the Game 2 starter, earned a two-inning save on one day of rest to extend the season one more night.

Joe Musgrove, who grew up in suburban El Cajon, didn't make his season debut until Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Cubs due to a prolonged recovery from Tommy John surgery. It was his first appearance since the Wild Card Series against Atlanta in 2024.

“I don’t think anybody’s satisfied with how the year ended, but I think everyone’s pretty proud of how we played,” said Musgrove, who pitched the final two innings Wednesday night. “Where we came from in May, June, being under .500, and Tati not even having a home run and Manny hitting .200, and then where we ended our year and how we finished strong at home and gave our fans something to be proud of.”

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

San Diego Padres players watch from the dugout during the ninth inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., right, celebrates his home run with Manny Machado during the third inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. hits a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Samad Taylor pauses after striking out to end the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres players watch from the dugout during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)

San Diego Padres' Ty France reacts after he was forced out by Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang during the sixth inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)