Lithuanian president warns of Russia's potential attacks on critical infrastructure

Key Points:

• Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda revealed intelligence suggesting Russia may plan attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic states or Poland, focusing on energy and transport systems linked to the European electricity grid.
• Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs warned that Russia might provoke NATO’s eastern flank amid increasing Ukrainian pressure on Moscow, potentially testing NATO’s collective defense mechanisms over the next year.
• Russia dismissed these claims as fabrications aimed at justifying NATO’s military buildup in the Baltics, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accusing Western countries of creating an enemy image to escalate militarization.
• Poland and the Baltic states have bolstered security around key infrastructure and deployed additional troops in response to the threat, following warnings of possible Russian hybrid or limited military provocations.
• The European Union reported Russian cyberespionage and sabotage targeting European defense industries and critical infrastructure, while incidents involving stray Ukrainian drones have also heightened regional tensions.