The Russian government on Monday summoned Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian envoys, accusing them of trying to sabotage next month’s Russian presidential election.
Moscow accuses Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania of ignoring Russia’s requests to ensure the security of polling stations in its embassies.
“The chargés d’affaires of the Baltic states in Moscow were summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the absence of a proper response by the authorities of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to the repeated appeals of the Russian side to ensure security at polling stations at the Russian embassies in Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn during the presidential elections in March this year,” the Russian foreign ministry statement said.
Moscow demanded that the Baltic States “take all necessary measures” to ensure the security of Russian embassies and voters. “Creating difficulties in the conduct of elections would cause serious protest among Russian citizens living in these countries,” it warned.
“In the event of continued sabotage, we will act decisively in a bilateral context and international structures,” the ministry said.
President Vladimir Putin is expected to win the election easily amid a years-long crackdown on dissent and a lack of real opposition.
Lithuania’s response
Responding to Moscow’s statements, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the accusations bizarre.
“It is not for the Kremlin to explain and lecture democratic countries about elections,” Paulina Levickytė, spokeswoman for the foreign minister, said in a commentary quoted by Elta.
“We take the view that Russia’s decision to organise so-called elections on dates almost coinciding with the Crimea annexation [anniversary], and to organise them in the temporarily occupied or illegally annexed territories of Ukraine, is an illegal and deliberate provocation by the Russian Federation,” Levickytė said.
Lithuania does not and will not recognise voting or election results in the occupied or illegally annexed territories of Ukraine.
“The Russian political leadership and others involved in organising these elections will face the consequences of these illegal actions. This illegal step is yet another desperate attempt by the Kremlin to legitimise its control over the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, to give it the illusion of absent legitimacy, to continue its flagrant violation of international law and of Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty, and to add to the long list of crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine,” said Levickytė.
Lithuania is firmly committed to supporting Ukraine and its territorial integrity, she added. “Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk are Ukraine,” she stressed.
In response to Moscow’s demands to ensure the security of Russian embassies and voters in the Baltic states, the foreign ministry spokeswoman noted that Lithuania respects and will continue to respect international law and its international obligations.
“However, the responsibility for the consequences of a possible provocation lies with the Russian Federation,” she added.
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