Intelligence services from Russia and Belarus are accused of planning assaults against Belarusian citizens residing in Lithuania, according to the Lithuanian State Security Department (VSD).
In recent months, Lithuania has seen an escalation of tensions as the Belarusian KGB has been actively targeting the Belarusian diaspora in the country. The intelligence service has been using a variety of tactics to recruit individuals for espionage activities, including direct outreach on social media platforms like Telegram.
The recruitment methods are both coercive and enticing. Potential recruits may receive financial incentives, new passports, travel freedoms, and guarantees of safe return from exile. However, threats against family members residing in Belarus are also used to ensure compliance.
The Belarusian KGB's recruitment efforts have led to a number of hostile incidents within Lithuania's Belarusian community. Threatening messages, acts of vandalism, and attempted physical assaults have been reported. While detailed public documentation of these incidents is scarce, Lithuanian authorities have expressed concern over increasing security threats.
One concerning development is the heightened military and security activity near the Belarus-Lithuania border. This includes Lithuanian drills and tightened border defenses, reflecting fears of intimidation and possible hybrid warfare tactics from Russian and Belarusian actors. The region has also seen drone incursions from Belarusian territory, which accompany the tense environment amid the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises "Zapad-2025".
The operations conducted by Russian and Belarusian intelligence services in Lithuania are not limited to espionage. In some cases, operatives have posed as residents of another European Union country seeking Belarusian students in Vilnius to appear in a music video. However, these operations have become increasingly dangerous, with confirmed attempts to carry out violent assaults targeting Belarusians living in Lithuania.
The organisers of these operations often present themselves as members of the Belarusian diaspora or claim ties to the Belarusian opposition. Recruits are initially offered simpler tasks, such as photographing buildings linked to the Belarusian diaspora or opposition events. Payments for completed tasks range from dozens to thousands of euros, typically made via cryptocurrency or other anonymous methods.
In the early stages of the operation, Lithuanian politicians and public figures received threatening messages from alleged supporters of the Litvinist ideology or members of the Belarusian diaspora. Provocative messages like "Litvins are coming, Litvins are already here" were also reported.
As the campaign continues, Russian and Belarusian intelligence services are also reportedly seeking recruits from far-right extremist groups on social media. Perpetrators of attacks against the Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania are often recruited through popular Telegram channels and other social media platforms.
The VSD (Lithuania's Security Service) urges citizens not to fall for provocations and to report suspicious activity. The escalating tensions and the increasing use of violence highlight the need for vigilance and caution among Lithuania's Belarusian community and the wider public.
- The escalating tensions in Lithuania, fueled by the Belarusian KGB's activities, have extended to the realm of crime and justice, with reported threatening messages, acts of vandalism, and attempted physical assaults against members of the Belarusian diaspora.
- In addition to recruitment for espionage activities, the Belarusian KGB's operations in Lithuania have encroached onto the domain of general-news and politics, with appeals extended to far-right extremist groups on social media platforms.
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