Lithuania submits formal protest to Russia over attacks on Ukraine and Romania

Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a formal protest to Russia over recent missile and drone strikes targeting Ukrainian civilians, as well as an incident in which a Russian drone struck a residential building in Romania, LRT reports.

In a diplomatic note delivered to a representative of the Russian Embassy in Vilnius on Wednesday, Lithuania condemned Russia’s overnight attacks on June 1–2, when rockets and combat drones hit Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and other Ukrainian cities. Further drone strikes continued the following night, killing dozens of civilians, injuring hundreds, and destroying residential buildings, healthcare facilities, and other civilian infrastructure.

The ministry stated that deliberate terror against civilians and critical infrastructure constitutes a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law” and amounts to war crimes, for which there is no statute of limitations. It rejected Moscow’s claims that prior warnings to foreign nationals—including diplomats—to leave Kyiv absolve Russia’s political and military leadership of responsibility for planning and executing such attacks.

Lithuania also highlighted the broader threat posed by Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, noting repeated drone incursions into the airspace of Baltic states, Poland, Moldova, Romania, and others. The most recent incident—on the night of May 28–29—resulted in two civilian injuries and severe damage to an apartment block in the Romanian city of Galați.

The ministry reaffirmed Lithuania’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in its fight for freedom, independence, and territorial integrity. It further pledged to work with international partners to ensure Russia compensates Ukraine for damages through existing mechanisms, including the newly established Damage Register and the International Claims Commission for Ukraine.