On Monday, Lithuania’s embassy in Moscow was smeared with red paint in what Vilnius is treating as an apparent attack.
“In the morning, four masked persons smeared the entrance of the Lithuanian Embassy in Moscow with red paint. The [foreign ministry in Vilnius] summoned the representative of Russia and handed him a stern note of protest,” the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry told LRT.lt in a written comment.
According to the ministry, “the Russian Federation police officers who were providing external protection for the embassy did not react to the attack, and the police who were called to the scene arrived more than half an hour later”.
In the note, Lithuania demands that the Russian Federation comply with its international obligations, take all steps to ensure the inviolability of the embassy’s property and premises, investigate the act of vandalism, and hold those responsible accountable.
According to the Russian state news agency, officers are now on duty at the embassy.
In 2022, Lithuania officially recalled its ambassador, Eitvydas Bajarūnas, and downgraded diplomatic ties with Russia, following the Bucha massacre in Ukraine.
“These are the conditions in which our colleagues live. Wishing you strength, take care,” Bajarūnas posted on Facebook on Monday.
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