Lithuania’s State Security Department says Russia is conducting an information campaign against the Baltic states following recent drone incidents in the region, while also testing their readiness for a range of possible scenarios.
State Security Department director Remigijus Bridikis said on Tuesday that Moscow’s aim was to discourage countries in the Baltic Sea region from continuing support for Ukraine.
“We should understand that, first and foremost, an information operation is being carried out against us in an attempt to pressure us into reducing or abandoning support for Ukraine,” Bridikis said.
In recent months, Ukrainian drones targeting north-western Russia have at times crossed into Baltic airspace. Russia has accused the Baltic states of deliberately allowing their territory to be used for attacks against Russia.
The Baltic countries reject the allegations, saying the drones entered their airspace after being diverted by Russian electronic warfare systems.
Bridikis said Russia’s actions could form part of a broader strategy combining information pressure with possible provocations.
He noted that Russian public rhetoric surrounding the Baltic states and the security of the Kaliningrad region had intensified, portraying the area as facing potential regional threats.
President Gitanas Nausėda has previously said Lithuanian territory should not be used by either side in the conflict for drone strikes, in an effort to reduce tensions in the region.
Asked whether such statements could have been influenced by Russian narratives concerning Kaliningrad, Bridikis said state institutions rely on intelligence assessments.
The intelligence chief also said there were currently no indications that Russia was preparing a conventional military confrontation with NATO, although he warned Moscow could continue to engage in various unconventional actions.
According to Bridikis, Russia’s plans to bring accusations against the Baltic states before the International Court of Justice should also be viewed as part of a wider information campaign designed to create pressure and increase tensions.
He said such legal and diplomatic steps could be intended to “prepare the ground” for different scenarios, though they did not necessarily point to direct confrontation.
Bridikis added that Russia was constantly testing how easily it could achieve its objectives against adversaries, whether through military means or other forms of pressure.
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