Fragment of Russian missile found on beach near Klaipeda

The Lithuanian Defense Ministry confirmed that the discovered object is part of an anti-aircraft missile from the Pantsir-M complex, which is used by the Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea.

In Klaipeda, on the Baltic Sea coast, a missile fragment was discovered, which, according to preliminary estimates, belongs to the Russian Pantsir-M air defense system. This is reported by Gospodarka Morska.

The find was noticed on March 18. The object was immediately taken under the protection of sappers. They determined that it was a burned-out “starter” of a short-range anti-aircraft missile 9M335 (SA-22 Greyhound), which provides its initial acceleration and stabilization after launch.

The Lithuanian Defense Ministry assumes that the fragment fell into the sea during regular exercises of the Russian Baltic Fleet. These exercises are held near the exclusive economic zone of Lithuania, where Russian ships regularly practice attacks on sea, air and coastal targets.

The Pantsir-M complex, which includes such a missile, is usually installed on ships of the Russian Navy. Its task is to destroy enemy aircraft, helicopters, drones and missiles within a radius of up to 20 km.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense drew attention to the fact that after launch, the launch unit could have fallen into the sea, and later washed ashore near Klaipeda. Although the fragment is not explosive, the authorities urge citizens not to touch suspicious objects and to report them to the competent authorities.

This is not the first case of the detection of Russian military components on the coast. In February 2023, a sonar device, probably also of Russian origin, was found on the same beach.

As USM wrote the day before, the fifth mine-clearing ship Rybitwa was launched in Poland.