All articles tagged with #lithuania
Polish PM Donald Tusk says Lithuania asked in 2019 to exclude Hungary from a NATO meeting over suspicions Budapest would share sensitive information with Moscow, amid new leaks about Hungarian officials' contacts with Russia; Hungary denies wrongdoing but an investigation is ordered, while Lithuania’s past-in-talks accounts and Moscow’s response remain unclear.
Russia is increasing hybrid pressure on EU/NATO forces in Lithuania, using surveillance drones, airspace violations and psychological operations against the German Bundeswehr stationed there. NATO Baltic air policing and German-led defense efforts are responding, while experts note the legal grey area around such actions and the aim to unsettle troops rather than trigger a conventional attack.
In Vilnius, Zelensky framed unity with Poland and Lithuania and warned against Belarus’s growing dependence on Moscow, joking that Lukashenko’s dog has more rights than Belarusians. He highlighted Belarus as a launch base for Russian strikes and drones, thanked Lithuania and Poland for support amid ongoing Ukrainian energy outages, and noted the anniversary of the 1863 uprising, with Belarusian opposition figures attending the events.
In Lithuania, a unique situation is emerging where a cat could potentially influence the future of the country's public broadcaster, highlighting a quirky aspect of democratic engagement and media influence.
Giant balloons carrying contraband from Belarus into Lithuania are being used in what Lithuania suspects is a hybrid attack to destabilize and exert political pressure, leading to border security measures, airport closures, and increased military patrols, amid broader tensions involving Russia and Western sanctions.
Tensions between Lithuania and Belarus have escalated as Belarusian weather balloons, used for cigarette smuggling, have repeatedly forced the closure of Lithuania's main airport, with Lithuania accusing Belarus of a hybrid attack aimed at disrupting its economy and security. Lithuania has responded with security measures and offers to develop technology to counter such disruptions.
Tensions between Lithuania and Belarus have escalated as Belarusian weather balloons, used for cigarette smuggling, have repeatedly disrupted Vilnius airport, leading Lithuania to consider border closures and develop advanced airspace security measures amid accusations of hybrid attacks.
Germany is deploying its most advanced Leopard 2A8 tanks with a new brigade to Lithuania, marking its first major permanent military deployment abroad since WWII, as a deterrent against Russia and in response to lessons learned from the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing modern armor and combined maneuver warfare capabilities.
Lithuania has authorized shooting down balloons crossing from Belarus, considering it a hybrid attack and has temporarily closed its border, amid increased tensions and airspace incursions linked to hybrid warfare tactics by Russia and Belarus.
Lithuania closed its border with Belarus after dozens of helium balloons entered its airspace, which Lithuania attributes to hybrid threats and smuggling activities, prompting a strong response and international solidarity amid heightened tensions involving NATO and Russian activities in the region.
Lithuania has warned it will shoot down balloons used for cigarette smuggling from Belarus, closing border crossings and airports affected by these incursions, as part of its response to hybrid attacks and airspace violations, with plans to consult NATO.
Lithuania accuses Belarus and Russia of escalating hybrid warfare through balloon incursions that have repeatedly shut down Vilnius Airport, prompting Lithuania to consider shooting down further balloons, close its border with Belarus, and potentially invoke NATO's collective defense clause amid broader regional tensions.
Lithuania has permanently closed its border with Belarus and shut down its airspace multiple times due to balloons used by smugglers to transport contraband, disrupting over 170 flights and affecting 30,000 passengers. The balloons, suspected to be part of hybrid smuggling operations, have prompted Lithuania to consider harsher penalties and seek additional EU sanctions against Belarus, with discussions of invoking NATO's Article 4 to address security concerns amid broader European airspace security issues.
Balloons suspected of smuggling cigarettes from Belarus have caused repeated disruptions at Lithuania's main airport, leading to flight cancellations, diversions, and border closures, prompting Lithuania to consider stricter penalties and longer border shutdowns.
Two Russian military aircraft briefly entered Lithuania's airspace, prompting NATO response and condemnation from Lithuanian leaders amid heightened tensions and recent airspace violations involving Russia across Europe.