Lithuanian soldier reported missing in Ukraine after Russian shelling

Lithuania’s defence ministry is gathering information about a 25-year-old Lithuanian citizen who went missing in Ukraine while serving in its armed forces, Defence Minister Roberts Kaunas confirmed on Thursday, according to public broadcaster LRT.

The man, a former professional footballer who previously served as a conscript in Lithuania’s military, had been deployed to Ukraine as a volunteer in February. He was last seen on June 2 while performing combat duties as an assistant machine gunner when Russian forces shelled the area, officials said.

“We are collecting and verifying information, so I do not want to comment extensively at this stage,” Kaunas told reporters. “As far as I know, he is missing, and we are now working through various channels to clarify the actual situation.”

Lithuania’s foreign ministry later stated it had not yet received official confirmation of the soldier’s possible death. The Lithuanian embassy in Kyiv has contacted Ukrainian authorities to verify the reports and is maintaining communication with the missing man’s family.

“Out of respect for privacy and without the family’s consent, the foreign ministry cannot disclose details about the individual or the circumstances to the media,” the statement added.