Motuzas says Russia may use drones to stage provocations

Russia may use Ukrainian-made drones to attack critical infrastructure in the Baltic region, Remigijus Motuzas, chair of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee, said, according to LRT.

He said the Kremlin would seek not only to spread anxiety but also to influence public opinion in Lithuania and among its allies about the war in Ukraine.

“The goal is to influence Lithuanian society by suggesting that the war in Ukraine is not beneficial to us and that it has also caused problems for Lithuania,” Motuzas told ELTA on Thursday. He said Russia also wanted European Union countries to reduce their support for Ukraine or weaken public backing for that support.

“On the one hand, disinformation is being spread, and on the other, people are being intimidated,” Motuzas said.

“As long as the war in Ukraine continues, we will face these provocations and intimidation. That is normal and natural because we are among Ukraine’s most active supporters,” he added.

Motuzas said Lithuania’s intelligence information about possible provocations would be discussed at a meeting of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee. The meeting is expected to take place after mid-August, with officials from relevant institutions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited to provide information.

The news portal 15min reported on Thursday that Lithuanian military intelligence had information that Russia was considering attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic region using drones made in Ukraine. Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed the information to the portal.

According to 15min, Russia could use drones it had seized from Ukraine to mislead observers about the source of an attack and deny that it had attacked NATO territory. Such an operation is known as a false flag operation, in which a state carries out an action while creating the impression that another country was responsible.

At the end of July, Lithuania announced that it had strengthened protection of strategic facilities indefinitely after information emerged about possible Russian operations against critical infrastructure in the Baltic states.

Airspace violations have been recorded in the Baltic states and Finland for several months as Russian forces have diverted Ukrainian drones from their course. As Ukrainian forces continue drone attacks on Russian territory, the Kremlin has accused the Baltic states of allowing their territory to be used for Ukrainian military operations.