By Andrius Sytas VILNIUS, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The drone shot down in Lithuania by an Italian NATO fighter jet on Tuesday was of a type used by Russia and was most likely targeted at Ukraine, Lithuania's president said on Wednesday.

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace overnight, officials said Tuesday, the day after the head of the alliance said strikes close to its territory would only increase its support for Ukraine in its war against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

A drone shot down by NATO fighter jets over Lithuania was carrying explosives, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said on Tuesday. The explosive device was defused by specialist forces, Kaunas wrote on

The drone had entered the country from neighbouring Belarus, local reports said.

Lithuania temporarily closed Vilnius Airport airspace after a potential drone sighting, prompting NATO to scramble a fighter jet before issuing

Lithuania plans to use a portion of its annual aid budget for Kyiv to manufacture tactical drones in collaboration with Ukrainian companies.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said strikes close to the alliance’s territory would drive the trans-Atlantic organization to increase its support for Kyiv.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda believes drones entering his country or other Baltic states may be deliberately allowed to stray off course.