Lithuania suspects Russia of attempted sabotage
Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has identified Russia as the likely party responsible for an attempt to sabotage the Starlink satellite system.
Meanwhile, Latvia reported threats within its airspace, and Poland stated that an aerial object had crashed.
The Prime Minister’s remarks, made on Sunday via the public broadcaster LRT, follow a suspected sabotage attempt against a facility in Lithuania that supports the operations of the Starlink satellite system, AFP reports.
Sinkevičius stated that the facility—the specific location of which was not disclosed—houses "nine satellite antennas that ensure connectivity to Starlink, which in turn supports Ukraine."
"It is clear that this is part of the hybrid warfare being waged by Russia, which includes acts of sabotage."
Flammable substances
The Prime Minister noted that the incident is under investigation, that flammable substances were discovered at the site, and that further details are expected to emerge.
"However, it is likely that investigators have already identified [the culprit]: it is the Russian side."
This sharpened tone from Vilnius comes as residents in Latvia and Lithuania have been urged to remain vigilant due to threats posed by drones. A drone, or parts of a drone, crashed on Sunday near Pasvalys in northern Lithuania. NATO aircraft stationed in Latvia scrambled to address the suspected threat before it vanished from radar. The Latvian military believes the craft "exploded on its own," reports Euronews.
Near Lublin
Poland also reported an intruding craft in its airspace. A drone is believed to have crashed near the city of Lublin, close to the border with Ukraine.
The origin of the suspected drone is unknown. Overnight, Ukrainian drone strikes took place in the area around St. Petersburg, Russia—north of the Baltic states.
On previous similar occasions, Ukrainian drones have strayed into Baltic airspace while en route to targets in Russia.
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