Lithuania warns Russia may target Baltic, Polish infrastructure in hybrid attacks
Story Timeline
16 hours · 2 summary articles
Lithuania warns Russia may target Baltic, Polish infrastructure in hybrid attacks
Baltic leaders warn Russia planning attacks on NATO infrastructure in Poland, Baltics
Continuation
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania’s president said Wednesday that intelligence assessments suggest that Russia is planning potential attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic states or Poland.
President Gitanas Nausėda said that authorities were monitoring the risk of attacks that could disrupt the country’s energy and transport systems, including facilities supporting Lithuania’s connections with the European electricity grid.
“I cannot deny that we have such information and that it concerns limited kinetic operations likely targeting critical infrastructure,” Nausėda told Lithuania’s BNS news agency.
Nausėda said that the intelligence didn’t identify a specific location or timing for the potential attacks. He said that such provocations could involve conventional or other means.
Russia dismissed the claim as an excuse to justify NATO’s military buildup in the Baltics. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs similarly warned on Wednesday that, with Ukraine increasingly effective at putting pressure on Russia, Moscow might respond with provocations against NATO’s eastern flank.
“Even without a total Ukrainian victory, Russia may indirectly test Article 5 and response mechanisms at the Alliance and European Union levels,” Rinkēvičs said, referring to NATO’s common defense guarantee.
The three Baltic states — Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia — and Poland, all located on NATO’s eastern flank, have strengthened security around key transport and energy infrastructure in recent months in response to the Russian threat. The countries say they have long been targets of Russian hybrid attacks, a threat that has intensified since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, 2022.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Poland intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea that, according to the Polish government, were conducting surveillance of Poland’s air defense systems, despite remaining outside Polish territorial waters.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the Lithuanian intelligence warning about Russia’s purported plans to launch attacks on infrastructure in the Baltics and elsewhere in Europe.
“It’s a fresh batch of bugaboos intended to continue the brainwashing and prepare the population for further militarization,” Peskov told reporters. “To do this, they need to create an enemy image on the other side, our side in this case,” he said.
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by LRT. Speaking during a visit to Vilnius, Rinkēvičs said intelligence from Latvia, Lithuania and other NATO allies indicates that Russia is attempting to undermine regional security through “hybrid” operations.
According to the Latvian president, Russia could intensify provocations against the Baltic region as its military struggles to make gains in Ukraine, saying Moscow may seek to test NATO’s resolve through sabotage and hybrid attacks.
"We must be extremely prepared for the stage of the war in Ukraine where Russia no longer achieves victories and is unable to advance on the battlefield," Rinkēvičs said.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said intelligence services have information suggesting that Russia may be preparing provocations in Poland or the Baltic states in an attempt to test NATO's unity.
The Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (CCD) reported that Russia may be preparing hybrid operations and military provocations against NATO countries, in particular Poland and the Baltic states.
This is evidenced by recent warnings from Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. Russia’s behavior creates unprecedented challenges for European security.
In response to these hybrid threats, Western partners are already reviewing their defense strategies: strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure, increasing intelligence cooperation, and preparing measures to counter Russian provocations – the CCD states.
They add that Russia systematically resorts to hostile rhetoric regarding the Baltic states, trying to intimidate their citizens and justify its potential aggressive steps in advance.
Earlier, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned Russia against carrying out provocations “under a false flag, using Ukrainian drones.” In turn, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated that Vilnius has intelligence data that Russia is planning attacks on infrastructure, and this Baltic country will strengthen the protection of energy and transport facilities as a preventive measure.
Lithuania has recently tightened security at key transport and energy facilities.
Follow us for live European news
Articles
Baltics and Poland warn Russia could launch limited military or hybrid provocation against NATO
gdeltproject.org · about 3 hours ago
Предыдущий масштабный топливный кризис в России произошел в 1990-е — в те годы, которые Путин называет «страшными, голодными, холодными и безнадежными». Вот как это выглядело. Фотографии
meduza · about 3 hours ago
Rinkevics in Lithuania warns of possible Russian provocations in the region - The Baltic Times VILNIUS - Russia, which has been significantly weakened on the battlefield in Ukraine, may resort to provocations in the region, Latvian Preside......
baltic times · about 3 hours ago
Former Polish DM says Poland most likely target of possible Russian armed provocation Russia could soon stage a false-flag attack on Polands critical infrastructure and attempt to shift the blame onto Ukraine, former Polish Minister of National Defense Janusz Onyszkiewicz has said.
ukrinform · about 3 hours ago
NATO není připravené na Putinovu psychologickou válku Komentář Edwarda Lucase: Rusko je alespoň prozatím na vojenský střet se Západem příliš slabé, ale může na nás útočit jinak.
denik n · about 3 hours ago
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda reported intelligence suggesting Russia is planning targeted kinetic operations against critical energy or transport infrastructure in the Baltic States or Poland, potentially to test NATO unity. #Russia #EU #Lithuania
mastodon bot · about 3 hours ago
Opposition Party in Bulgaria Accuses Radev of Serving the Kremlin Over Ukraine Stance - Novinite.com
gdeltproject.org · about 4 hours ago
Russia is preparing hybrid operations and provocations against NATO countries, in particular Poland and the Baltics – CPD #Europe #NATO
mastodon bot · about 4 hours ago
Latvian President warns Russia may be preparing provocations against Baltic states Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs has said intelligence information indicates that Russia may be preparing provocations against the Baltic states.
ukrinform · about 4 hours ago
⚡️Russias nuclear fleet at full combat readiness, Kremlin says. "Our naval strategic nuclear forces maintain a state of full combat readiness," Russian Presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview with the state outlet RIA Novosti.
bluesky_Kyiv Independent · about 5 hours ago
Alertan Bálticos y Polonia posible amenaza rusa a la OTAN
gdelt bot · about 5 hours ago
Lithuanian president warns of Russias potential attacks on critical infrastructure
gdeltproject.org · about 5 hours ago
Maria Zaharova amenință statele europene că pot deveni „ținte legitime pentru Rusia Rusia a declarat, miercuri, că orice forţă multinaţională trimisă de aliaţii Kievului pentru a fi desfăşurată în Ucraina în cazul încheierii unui acord de pace ar fi „inacceptabilă și ar deveni o „țintă militară legitimă pentru Moscova, relatează Reuters.
digi24 · about 7 hours ago
NATO Planning for War with Russia – but has Moscow Left the Door Open? #Europe #NATO
mastodon bot · about 7 hours ago
Lituania avisa de que Rusia prepara ataques contra Polonia y el Báltico
gdelt bot · about 7 hours ago
Russia Planning Attacks on Infrastructure, Lithuanian President Says
gdeltproject.org · about 7 hours ago
Tensión en Europa : Países bálticos y Polonia alertan sobre posible provocación militar de Rusia
gdelt bot · about 7 hours ago
Rusia și-a pus forțele nucleare „în alertă maximă. Anunț făcut de consilierul lui Putin: „Sunt pregătite de luptă Rusia flutură iar amenințarea nucleară. Consilierul lui Putin, Nikolai Patrușev susține că forțele nucleare strategice navale ale Rusiei sunt plasate în deplină pregătire de luptă. Anunțul vine exact în momentul în care Putin este într-o poziție dificilă. Războiul lui de trei zile în Ucraina este în al cincilea an, și nu mai e deloc departe de Rusia, dimpotrivă. Atacurile ucrainene asupra țintelor strategice rusești au dat peste cap imaginea de invincibil a lui Putin. Potrivit unei analize Bloomberg, popularitatea dictatorului este în declin, indiferent cât încearcă propaganda să cosmetizeze situația.
digi24 · about 8 hours ago
Polonia a interceptat avioane rusești deasupra Mării Baltice pentru a doua zi consecutiv Polonia a interceptat avioane militare rusești deasupra Mării Baltice pentru a doua zi consecutiv, a declarat ministrul Apărării. Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz a declarat miercuri că două avioane de vânătoare rusești de tip Su-30SM2 au fost observate desfășurând „o supraveghere agresivă a exercițiilor de integrare a sistemului de apărare aeriană, ceea ce a determinat Polonia să reacționeze, scrie TVPWorld.
digi24 · about 8 hours ago
Litva in Latvija obtožujeta Moskvo načrtovanja napadov Predsednik Litve Gitanas Nauseda in njegov latvijski kolega Edgars Rinkevičs opozarjata, da bi Rusija lahko načrtovala provokacije in napade na ključno infrastrukturo na Poljskem ali v baltskih državah, da bi preizkusila enotnost zveze Nato.
rtv slovenia · about 8 hours ago
Russia may announce general mobilization after elections – Zelensky President Volodymyr Zelensky said he does not rule out that Russian President Vladimir Putin could announce a mobilization campaign after the parliamentary elections in Russia.
ukrinform · about 8 hours ago
Росія збирається перевірити єдність НАТО , готуючи гібридні атаки DSnews . ua
gdelt bot · about 8 hours ago