Baltic leaders warn Russia planning attacks on NATO infrastructure in Poland, Baltics
VILNIUS, Lithuania — The presidents of Lithuania and Latvia warned on Wednesday that Russia is planning attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic states or Poland, citing intelligence reports.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said the planning is taking place at the highest level in Moscow, targeting energy and transport infrastructure. "We are talking about energy and transport infrastructure, facilities where damage could... disrupt the functioning of the entire energy system," Nauseda said at a joint press conference in Vilnius with his Latvian counterpart, Edgars Rinkevics.
Rinkevics warned that Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, all EU and NATO members, must be prepared for provocative actions by Russia as it seeks to "test" the alliance's mutual defense pact amid its war in Ukraine. "Even without a total Ukrainian victory, Russia may indirectly test Article 5 and response mechanisms at the alliance and European Union levels," he said.
The warnings are the latest in a series of alarms from leaders along NATO's eastern flank who suggest Russia may be trying to test the alliance as the Ukraine war drags on after more than four years. In late June, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a press conference that "various types of escalation can be expected in the coming weeks and months," calling the situation "very unstable."
Baltic and Polish officials have already linked Russia to several incidents, including arson, cyberattacks, and diversions on railway lines. The Lithuanian president said his country had strengthened protection of its transport and energy infrastructure in response to the threats.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov disputed the claims, calling them "just another fresh batch of scare stories designed to keep the brainwashing going and prepare the population for further militarization."
Located along the Baltic Sea and bordering Russia and its close ally, Belarus, Lithuania has been a key ally to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Lithuania is NATO's highest security spender in relative terms, allocating 5.33% of its GDP to defense.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics 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 complete Ukrainian victory, Russia may indirectly test Article 5 and response mechanisms at the NATO and European Union levels,” Rinkevics 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 in 2022.
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 added.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski had issued a similar warning on Tuesday. According to him, Russia could be preparing a so-called "false flag" operation scenario, in which Ukrainian drones would be used. "Putin made a similar message about a month ago, stating that if Russia is attacked by a NATO member state, it will respond. Therefore, we suspect that he could prepare Ukrainian drones and use them to attack a NATO member state or Russia, so that he could then respond to this attack. Perhaps this is exactly the scenario he could be preparing, because he is in a desperate situation – he is losing," said Sikorski.
The warnings come as Russia is reportedly struggling to make gains in Ukraine. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said that Russia may seek to test NATO’s resolve through sabotage and hybrid attacks as its military struggles to make gains in Ukraine.
“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,” Rinkevics said. “The next few months, or even the next 12 months, will be crucial for Baltic security. We have already seen hybrid operations continuing for several years,” he added.
Nauseda said Wednesday that while Russia is currently incapable of launching a large-scale military attack against NATO member states, it could be preparing more limited operations capable of causing significant damage to critical infrastructure. He urged Lithuanians not to “be lulled by a summer mood and think that the war is happening somewhere far away”.
On Tuesday, Nauseda said intelligence assessments pointed to the possibility of targeted attacks against critical infrastructure in the region using both conventional and nonconventional means. He said Lithuania had recently strengthened security around key transport and energy infrastructure in response to the threat.
Follow us for live European news
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
6 further sources not geolocated
Articles
Baltic presidents: Russia plans infrastructure attacks Russia is planning attacks against critical infrastructure in the Baltic countries or Poland, the presidents of Lithuania and Latvia said on Wednesday, citing intelligence reports. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated that planning is taking place at the highest level in Moscow, targeting energy and transport infrastructure. Latvian President Redgars Rinkevics said the Baltic countries must […]
cphpost · about 4 hours ago
East of the West: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland after the EU election
gdeltproject.org · about 4 hours ago
Lithuanian president warns of Russias potential attacks on critical infrastructure
gdeltproject.org · about 4 hours ago
Russia not main threat to Europe - Italian deputy PM
gdeltproject.org · about 4 hours ago
Baltics and Poland warn Russia could launch limited military or hybrid provocation against NATO
gdeltproject.org · about 4 hours ago
Putins War Comes Home to Russia Ukraines attacks have unleashed a crisis—but dont expect repercussions for the regime.
foreignpolicy.com · about 4 hours ago
Latvian president warns Russia could step up provocations against Baltic region Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs warned Wednesday that Russia could increase provocations against the Baltic region as its military struggles to make gains in Ukraine, saying Moscow may seek to test NATOs resolve through sabotage and hybrid attacks.
lrt · about 4 hours ago
Lithuanian and Latvian leaders warn Russia planning infrastructure attacks on Baltics or Poland The warnings are the latest in a series of alarms from leaders along NATOs eastern flank who suggest Russia may be trying to test the alliance as the Ukraine war drags on after more than four years.
euronews · about 4 hours ago
Putins Navy Has NO Safe Exit Route Left | Pfarrer & Smart Watch here: #Russia #Geopolitics
mastodon bot · about 4 hours ago
The Register: EU and UK officially blame Russian spies for cyberattack on Polands power grid. The UK and EU are demanding urgent action from critical infrastructure organizations after formally attributing the December 2025 cyberattack on Polands power grid to Russias Federal Security Service.
mastodon bot · about 4 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 4 hours ago
Baltics and Poland warn again about potential Russian provocations Lithuania has intelligence information indicating that Russia may be preparing to carry out provocations of some sort in the Baltic region, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said in an interview with the BNS news agency.
lsm latvia · about 4 hours ago
The anti-woke Westerners fleeing to Russia Since 2024, thousands of "moral migrants have gone looking for a different, and more conservative, kind of civilisation
new statesman · about 4 hours ago
"Vladimir, its time for you to stop": Trump insists Putin is ready to make peace deal US President Donald Trump has once again said he believes Russian ruler Vladimir Putin is ready to reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine and that it will happen soon.
ukrpravda · about 4 hours ago
Japan blijkt nest voor Russische spionnen die technologie willen stelen Japan heeft zwakke maatregelen tegen spionage, en daar maakt Rusland dankbaar gebruik van. Russische spionnen doen zich voor als diplomaten en zakenlieden, en zorgen er stiekem voor dat Japanse technologie naar Rusland komt. De chips en andere onderdelen worden vervolgens gebruikt in raketten die richting Oekraïne vliegen.
rtl nieuws · about 4 hours ago
Mehr als ein Drittel der Deutschen hält direkte Kriegsbeteiligung binnen 5 Jahren für möglich Misstrauen gegenüber den USA, Angst vor Cyberangriffen, Wunsch nach Aufrüstung: Laut einer aktuellen Umfrage empfinden die Deutschen die Bedrohungslage so ernst wie lange nicht.
welt.de · about 4 hours ago
Darunter Angriffspläne und Sabotageversuche: Litauen, Lettland und Polen warnen vor Bedrohung durch Russland „Informationen aus Litauen, Lettland und anderen Nato-Staaten deuten auf Sabotageversuche hin, heißt es vom lettischen Präsidenten. Litauen zufolge seien Angriffe auf den Energiesektor geplant.
tagesspiegel · about 4 hours ago
Tajemství textu, který otřásl vírou v Putinovo Rusko víc než ukrajinské údery na rafinerie Analýza: Stať v časopise Economist, ke které se vyjádřili snad všichni ruští politologové a znalci Ruska, je tajemná. Nikdo přesně neví, proč a jak vznikla. Navíc jde vlastně o texty dva – což je podstatnější, než se na první pohled zdá. Číst nyní musíme pečlivě nejen slova zveřejněná Economistem, ale i pohyb a napětí, které vyvolala v ruské nomenklatuře a snad i v samotném Kremlu.
denik n · about 4 hours ago
Lituania avertizează că Rusia pregătește atacuri asupra infrastructurii critice. Reacția Kremlinului Președintele lituanian Gitanas Nausėda a avertizat că țara sa deține informații potrivit cărora Rusia pregătește atacuri asupra infrastructurii. El a adăugat că măsurile de securitate în jurul obiectivelor din domeniul energiei și transporturilor vor fi consolidate, ca măsură de precauție.
adevarul · about 4 hours ago
Cum ar putea Rusia să testeze NATO fără o invazie. Avertismentul experților privind „calul troian al războiului hibrid Noi avertismente ale serviciilor de informații din Letonia, Polonia și alte state membre NATO sugerează că Rusia ar putea pregăti acțiuni provocatoare împotriva țărilor baltice sau a Poloniei.
adevarul · about 4 hours ago
Kremlin justifying its own failure | Obosrewatel - Ukraine
eurotopics.net · about 4 hours ago
Normalisation of a hard fact | Sergei Medvedev - Russia
eurotopics.net · about 4 hours ago
Debate: Russia: why the war is finally being called a war Up until now Russia has officially referred to its war of aggression in Ukraine as a "special military operation". Anyone in Russia who spoke about a "war" in public faced punishment. Now, however, the Kremlin itself is increasingly using the term. "There is a war going on, this is a real war," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, explaining this by pointing out that Kyiv was now being backed by "Berlin, Paris, The Hague, Oslo, and, unfortunately, Washington".
eurotopics.net · about 4 hours ago
News from Poland 2026-07-15 - Poland faces a surge in anti-Ukrainian hostility Robert Lewandowski has been officially introduced as a Chicago Fire player; A new report on the digital wellbeing of Poles; From the Philippines to Poland – a conversation on modern journalism.
polskieradio · about 4 hours ago
Moscow rejects Lithuanian claims of possible Russian attacks on Baltic infrastructure The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed Lithuanian claims that Russia could be planning attacks on critical infrastructure in Poland or the Baltic states, describing the allegations as an attempt to justify further NATO militarisation in the region.
lrt · about 4 hours ago
Polish FM: #Russia may conduct false flag #operation against #NATO
mastodon bot · about 4 hours ago
KYIV POST: Croatia Plans LNG Terminal Expansion Croatia plans to increase the capacity of its LNG terminal on the Adriatic island of Krk from 3.5 billion to 4.5 billion cubic meters by early 2027. Officials say the expansion could support Ukraines energy security as Kyiv seeks alternative gas supplies amid Russian attacks on domestic energy infrastructure. #Europe
mastodon bot · about 4 hours ago
Russia accused of planning attacks on Baltic, Polish infrastructure
bluesky_Euractiv · about 4 hours ago
Trump stated that Putin is ready to reach a deal in the near future. He also claimed that the war between Russia and Ukraine could end during his presidential term.
telegram_WarTranslated · about 4 hours ago
Russia has established coordinated system aimed at erasing Ukrainian childrens identity - OSCE - The Baltic Times RIGA - Russia has established a coordinated system involving education, youth organizations, religious institutions and security agencies aimed ......
baltic times · about 4 hours ago