Vilnius teenager detained by passerby after painting pro-Russian graffiti

A 14-year-old boy was detained in central Vilnius on Wednesday morning after spray-painting the pro-Russian slogan “Vilna naša” (“Vilnius is ours” in Cyrillic) on a pedestrian bridge, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) reports. The suspect was apprehended by a passerby, who described the incident as part of a “systematic” campaign of provocations.

According to the witness, identified only as Paulius, he noticed the teenager crouching near the Neris riverbank while walking to work early in the morning. “I saw a person in a hood, dressed in black, taking photos,” he told LRT. Upon closer inspection, Paulius realised the boy was photographing Cyrillic graffiti—a tactic previously linked to Russian and Belarusian intelligence efforts to sow discord in Lithuania.

When confronted, the teenager fled, but Paulius chased and tackled him near Gediminas Avenue with the help of other bystanders. The boy reportedly admitted to being 14 years old and claimed he had been threatened: “He said he didn’t want to write anything, that he did it because someone threatened to burn down his house if he didn’t paint the words and take photos,” Paulius recounted.

The witness, a member of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union (Šaulių Sąjunga), emphasised the broader implications: “This isn’t just petty vandalism—it’s systematic manipulation. In wartime, people like this could betray positions or adjust enemy artillery. These things are terrifying when you think about it.” He noted the boy spoke fluent Lithuanian without an accent, suggesting local involvement in the provocation.

Vilnius police confirmed the detainee was born in 2011 but declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing pre-trial investigation and the suspect’s minor status. Similar graffiti has recently appeared near government buildings and a Belarusian school in the capital.