In a robust rebuttal to Russian accusations of espionage, Lithuania has declared recent claims by Russia about a saboteur allegedly linked to the country as utterly unfounded. The Lithuanian government has categorically denied any connections to an individual who Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) alleges entered Russia from Lithuania in March with plans to conduct sabotage.
Vilmantas Vitkauskas, the head of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre, dismissed the allegations as part of a broader pattern of Russian disinformation designed to foment discord and undermine the solidarity of NATO allies. “Russia has been systematically conducting disinformation campaigns and provocations for a long time in order to raise tensions among societies and allies and to cover its aggressive actions,” Vitkauskas stated. “This disinformation spread by the FSB is a case in point. One of the objectives of such aggressive activities is to influence Lithuania’s support for Ukraine. Disinformation will not change Lithuania’s efforts to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom.”
The FSB’s narrative was promptly countered by Vitkauskas, who argued that linking the purported saboteur to a NATO member state was a clear case of disinformation. His comments highlighted the broader geopolitical context, suggesting that such fabrications aim to weaken Lithuania’s support for Ukraine amid the ongoing war.
Lithuania, which is currently engaged in the Thunder Strike military exercise, has been urged to brace for a possible increase in disinformation attacks. In light of these concerns, Vitkauskas underscored the importance of remaining vigilant: “Given that Lithuania is currently conducting the Thunder Strike military exercise, we may see more disinformation attacks of this nature. We urge citizens to remain vigilant and those who disseminate information to be cautious about the disinformation being spread by Russia” he cautioned.
Amid these accusations, NATO has also been addressing intensifying Russian “hybrid activity” across Europe. The military alliance has articulated its deep concerns over a variety of malicious activities attributed to Russia, such as sabotage, cyber and electronic interference, and other hybrid operations affecting several member states, including Lithuania.
Keir Giles, senior consulting fellow in the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House, pointed out, “The pattern shows what has long been known: that Russia can always find unscrupulous individuals to attack their own countries on Moscow’s behalf.” This pattern of disinformation and alleged subversive actions, which NATO has indicated is part of an escalating campaign conducted by Russia, poses a direct threat to the security of the Alliance. In response to such threats, NATO has pledged to “enhance the tools at its disposal” to counteract these challenges, emphasizing a collective approach to bolster resilience against hybrid warfare.
Relevant articles:
– Russia-Ukraine war: Lithuania hits out at Russia ‘disinformation’ over spy claims – as it happened , The Guardian, 05/03/2024
– How Nato could respond after wave of Russian spy arrests across Europe, inews, 05/03/2024