Russia preparing false flag attacks in Europe, Lithuania reveals intelligence
Photo: Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys (Getty Images)
Moscow may try to test NATO's readiness for a collective response. Lithuania says it has intelligence about a possible Russian operation, reports Delfi.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said that Vilnius has the same intelligence information about possible Russian hybrid attacks as other countries in the region and allies, including a possible Russian false flag operation.
"I want to assure everyone that Lithuania has the same intelligence information as other countries in the region and countries that have deployed their forces here," he emphasized.
Budrys said he discussed this information with the NATO secretary general, his deputy and the commanders of the armed forces of European countries. He wanted to make sure that the allies have the same assessment of the possible threat.
"I wanted to make sure that we are talking about the same thing. The news is this – yes, we are talking about the same thing. Lithuania has the same information; we talked about it as a possible false flag operation from Russia," Budrys stressed.
The minister added that public warnings by European politicians about possible Russian actions are part of a coordinated campaign. Their goal is to show Moscow that the allies are ready to respond to provocations and will not allow it to count on the absence of a collective NATO response.
"I also consider the public statements by politicians to be part of a coordinated campaign, the goal of which is to warn Russia not to try to do something in the hope that it will not trigger Article 5 and will not cause escalation," the Lithuanian foreign minister explained.
The Lithuanian minister said that the countries of the region have already demonstrated their ability to detect and stop such operations, as well as identify their perpetrators and organizers.
"Russia will not hide. We just need to avoid negative consequences. Today, the situation has not changed," Budrys concluded.
Russia is preparing escalation in Europe
Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the coming weeks and months could become a period of active Russian actions. He also did not rule out that escalation could spread to Polish territory.
Poland's National Security Bureau said that Russian intelligence services have intensified their actions against European infrastructure that assists Ukraine.
Potential targets include railways, bridges and border crossings.
Meanwhile, Lithuania has prepared a plan to evacuate residents of Vilnius in the event of a military threat or a large-scale crisis.
Poland is to be one of the routes for leaving the country, and it is also being prepared to serve as a transit corridor for residents of the Baltic countries.
