Vilnius court opens terrorism trial over explosive parcel attacks

A Lithuanian court has opened a terrorism trial against five men accused of sending explosive parcels from Vilnius last year, state broadcaster LRT reports.

The Vilnius Regional Court on Friday began hearings in the case against Aleksandr Šuranovas, Daniil Jencius, Vasilij Kovač, Vadym Borsuk, and Eldar Salmanov—citizens of Ukraine, Lithuania, and Russia—charged with planning and executing terrorist acts as part of an organised group. Some defendants remain in custody, while others are at large.

Prosecutors from Lithuania’s Organised Crime and Corruption Department requested closed sessions, citing ongoing investigations to identify alleged masterminds—suspected officers of Russia’s military intelligence (GRU). “Specific GRU officials are being identified; some are wanted, and information has been shared with the State Security Department,” prosecutor Šarūnas Astrauskas told the court.

The defence split over the request: some defendants supported closed hearings, while others, including a lawyer for one accused, argued for public proceedings to ensure transparency. The court ruled to hold parts of the trial in open sessions and others behind closed doors.

According to earlier prosecutorial statements, the group allegedly sent four explosive parcels from Vilnius in July 2024 via DHL and DPD couriers. Two were addressed to the UK, two to Poland. One detonated at Leipzig Airport before loading onto a Vilnius-Leipzig-UK flight; another ignited in a truck transiting Poland. A third parcel caught fire in a Birmingham DHL warehouse, while a fourth, also bound for the UK, was intercepted before detonation.

Investigators claim the suspects—some with prior military service in Russia—acted as direct executors or intermediaries. Lithuanian authorities have stated the attack’s organisers remain in Russia and out of reach.