Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Podris gave a lengthy interview, which was sharply criticized by politicians in Russia for his statements regarding Kaliningrad. Moscow described the minister’s words as “insanity.” Interview with Budris It turns out In the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung on May 18. We tell you what the minister talked about, as well as how they reacted to his statement in Russia.
What the head of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said
Kestutis Podris said Lithuania lacks air defense capabilities and that Russian and Ukrainian drones are “constantly invading our airspace” and that Russian warplanes sometimes fly over Lithuania with their transponders turned off.
The minister believes that due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, “the probability of accidents has increased sharply.” According to him, Lithuania is investing in short- and medium-range systems, but the country “lacks a long-range air defense system to repel ballistic and cruise missiles.” Podres said that Lithuania is aware of Russia’s intentions and capabilities: “The only variable is our weakness. This is what we are working on.”
The Foreign Minister added that he believes in the NATO Charter and has no doubt that the European allies will help Lithuania in the event of an invasion. NATO forces are already stationed in Lithuania, and the main responsibility for them falls on Germany. He is convinced that it will defend Lithuania’s security: “Germany has given us its word.”
Speaking about Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave located between Lithuania and Poland, the minister said:
We must show the Russians that we are capable of penetrating the little fortress they have built in Kaliningrad. NATO has the means to compromise Russian air and missile defense bases located there if necessary.
In response to a question about whether he fears “the erosion of European unity,” Badris said that the Europeans know what awaits Europe in the coming years. Badris added: “We know what is at stake. But I hope that the strategic discussion taking place these days between all parties will lead to one conclusion: that the cost of inaction will be very high.”
How did they react to this in Moscow?
Here are some major headlines from Russian media:
- RIA Novosti: “The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry called on NATO to attack Kaliningrad.”
- TASS: “Thunderstorm” and threats: How the head of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry dreamed of taking Kaliningrad from Russia.
- “Moskovsky Komsomolets”: “Vilnius “goat agitator”: Lithuania asks NATO to start a war with Russia.”
Commenting on the Lithuanian minister’s words, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that this is “suicidal paranoia.” Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov spoke in a similar way: “This statement is on the verge of madness.” The governor of the Kaliningrad region, Alexei Besprozhevanykh, said he was concerned about the health of officials in Lithuania: “We noticed that such activity occurs either in the spring or in the fall.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke in the same context: “They need to somehow be sure of their existence, just that, unlike the famous philosopher who said: ‘I think, therefore I exist, they simply exist.’”
Some Russian politicians remembered Ivan Krylov’s fable “The Elephant and the Dog.” For example, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev said: “As you know, pugs like to bark loudly at adults in order to increase their authority.” Or State Duma deputy and member of the Security Committee Mikhail Sheremet: “Lithuanian officials should not bark in Kaliningrad.”
Some politicians made aggressive statements. Chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party Leonid Slutsky, threatened nuclear weapons: “In the event of a NATO attack on Kaliningrad, Russian military and nuclear doctrines will inevitably come into force.” Alexander Shendryuk Zhidkov, a member of the Federation Council for the Kaliningrad region, said he doubted “whether Lithuania, strictly speaking, deserves its independence after 36 years.”
Russia accused the Baltic states of helping Ukraine carry out drone strikes
Russian propaganda, representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry and politicians have repeatedly accused the Baltic states – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – of allegedly providing their skies to Ukrainian drones attacking Russian territory. The Baltic states denied these accusations.
Maria Zakharova in April He threatenedAnd that Russia will provide a “response” to countries providing its airspace for strikes: “The aforementioned countries have been given a similar warning. If these systems in these countries are smart enough, they will listen. If not, they will deal with the response.”
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) stated on May 19 that Ukraine is preparing to launch drones directly from the territory of the Baltic states. “According to the data received, Kiev will not be limited to using air corridors provided by the armed forces of the Baltic states. It is also planned to launch drones from the territory of these states,” the foreign intelligence service said.
Intelligence reported that the Ukrainian army of unmanned systems forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were already present at military bases in Latvia, and threatened: “The coordinates of decision-making centers on the territory of Latvia are well known, and the country’s membership in NATO will not protect terrorist accomplices from just punishment.”
The Latvian authorities accused Russia of lying. “Russia is lying again. This time the disinformation campaign against Latvia is carried out by the Foreign Intelligence Service. The truth: Latvia does not provide airspace for attacks on Russia. This has already been explained to Russian representatives several times,” Latvian Foreign Minister Paipa Brazi said.
After the foreign intelligence statement, the Latvian Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian Chargé d’Affaires Dmitry Kasatkin, expressed a “categorical protest” to him and handed him an official note.
All this is happening against the background of the fact that drones are increasingly flying in the Baltic states
Finnish tabloid newspaper Iltalehti I mentioned May 17, according to NATO sources, Russian armed forces are using electronic warfare equipment to try to change the flight path of Ukrainian drones so that they fly to Finland or the Baltic states.
Many of these cases have occurred in the past week alone.
- In the night May 15 At least one drone flew in Finnish airspace. A danger warning was issued in Helsinki, urging residents to stay indoors and not approach windows. The local airport is closed. Finnish Air Force Hornet fighters took to the air. On the same day, a danger warning was issued in the border areas of Latvia.
- In the night May 17 A Ukrainian drone flew into Latvian airspace. The Armed Forces activated air defense forces, in addition to deploying fighter aircraft from the NATO mission to patrol the airspace of the Baltic Sea. A warning was declared in the border areas. A few hours later, the drone left Latvian airspace.
- In the evening May 17 A Ukrainian drone has been discovered in northeastern Lithuania. According to the armed forces, the drone was not detected by radar that day. It was found by residents of the Utena area. It is unclear how the drone entered Lithuanian airspace.
- in the morning May 19 Estonian Defense Minister Hannu Pefkur said that a Ukrainian drone was detected in Estonian airspace, heading towards a target in Russia. Romanian F-16 fighters participating in the NATO mission rushed to intercept the drone. The drone was shot down over Lake Võrtsjärv. In southern Estonia, the drone warning was in effect for one hour. After the incident, Ukraine apologized to Estonia.
The last such incident occurred on the morning of May 20. In some regions of Lithuania, as well as in Vilnius, an alert was announced due to the approach of a drone from Belarus. An automatic warning about the danger was sent to local residents’ phones. According to Delphi, it was initially a “yellow” alert level (an attack is likely), and then it was raised to a “red” alert level (an attack is occurring).
In some settlements, including Vilnius, evacuations to shelters were carried out. In particular, the leaders of Lithuania were in the shelter – President Gitanas Nausěda, Prime Minister Inga Rugenjeni, and Speaker of the Sejm Juźas Olikas.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced that NATO Air Forces, which ensure the security of the Baltic states’ airspace, were involved because of the drone. It is not yet known whether the drone crashed in Lithuania or left its airspace.