Russian and Belarusian intelligence services planned violent attacks against members of the Belarusian community in Lithuania, the country’s State Security Department (VSD) said Wednesday.
According to the intelligence agency, these foreign operations have become increasingly dangerous, with confirmed attempts to carry out violent assaults targeting Belarusians living in Lithuania.
“The organisers of the operation are trying to simulate the activity of two opposing forces – Belarusians promoting the ideology of ‘Litvinism’ and alleged Lithuanian groups fighting against them,” the VSD said in a statement.
The department said that since 2023, Russian and Belarusian operatives have been conducting information and psychological operations in Lithuania aimed at creating a sense of insecurity among the Belarusian diaspora and portraying Lithuania as a xenophobic state.
In 2025, operatives allegedly began searching social media for individuals willing to attack Belarusians in Lithuania in exchange for payment.
To carry out these plans, they posed as residents of another European Union country seeking Belarusian students in Vilnius to appear in a music video. Young Belarusians, lured by the job offer, agreed to meet at a designated location, where they were intended to be assaulted, according to the VSD.
The operatives reportedly contacted potential attackers in parallel, providing them with physical descriptions, meeting locations, times, and detailed instructions for carrying out the assaults.
“Potential attackers were also encouraged to locate and assault any Belarusian individuals of their choosing and to record the criminal acts on video,” the agency said.
The VSD confirmed that this attempted assault was thwarted.
Threatening messages and vandalism
In the early stages of the operation, Lithuanian politicians and public figures received threatening messages from alleged Litvinism supporters or members of the Belarusian diaspora. Videos purportedly recorded by Litvinist groups targeting Lithuania circulated on social media.
Since spring 2024, slogans promoting Litvinist ideology such as “Vilnius is ours!” appeared on posters in public spaces. Provocative messages like “Litvins are coming, Litvins are already here” were also reported.
In summer 2024, incidents mimicking attacks by groups opposed to the Belarusian diaspora were staged in Vilnius: the glass door of a Belarusian-owned store was smashed, a Belarusian chapel window was shot with a pneumatic weapon, and windows at the Belarusian Community and Cultural Centre were shattered.
Graffiti targeting Belarus’s democratic opposition and diaspora also emerged. In one case, “Tsikhanouskaya, get out of the city” was spray-painted on the wall of the European Humanities University in August 2024.
Recruiting via social media
According to the VSD, perpetrators are often recruited from Russian-speaking communities in Lithuania through popular Telegram channels and other social media platforms.
Some were also sought from far-right extremist groups on social media. Financially vulnerable individuals – including the unemployed, students, and low-income workers – were the most likely to accept such offers.
“Orders are typically communicated in Russian or English, and the Lithuanian texts they provide are often disjointed and unnatural,” the statement said.
Recruits are initially offered simpler tasks aligned with their skills or interests, such as photographing buildings linked to the Belarusian diaspora or opposition events.
“Often, the organisers present themselves as members of the Belarusian diaspora or claim ties to the Belarusian opposition,” the VSD noted.
Payments range from dozens to thousands of euros, typically made via cryptocurrency – especially Tether – or other anonymous methods. According to the VSD, payment is only made after the perpetrators send video or photo evidence proving the task was completed. Sometimes, GPS coordinates of the targeted locations are also required.
The agency said Russian and Belarusian intelligence operations in Lithuania remain aggressive, and urged citizens not to fall for provocations and to report suspicious activity to the VSD.
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