Russia Escalates Drone Accusations, Lithuania Warns of Increased Provocation Risk

(CNA, Vilnius, May 19, by reporter Yu Yao-ju) A high-ranking official from the Lithuanian President's Office warned today that Lithuania could face a very serious risk of provocation, following Russia's accusation that Lithuania is allowing Ukraine to use its airspace to launch attacks. This comes after several recent incidents of Ukrainian drones entering the airspace of Baltic states and subsequently crashing. Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) reported that Deividas Matulionis, National Security Advisor to the President of Lithuania, stated in a radio interview that Russia's accusation is absurd, but under the circumstances, an escalation of provocative actions against Lithuania cannot be ruled out. While Matulionis did not disclose specific details due to non-public information, he emphasized that the threat comes not only from Russia's public propaganda but also involves its special services. According to reports, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda had previously called on "all warring parties in Europe" not to use Lithuanian territory for drone attacks. Matulionis clarified that this message was primarily aimed at Russia, noting that Moscow is escalating the related dispute. He stressed that Lithuania is committed to defending its national sovereignty and is not directly involved in the military conflict, despite its continued support for Ukraine. Russia has recently accused the Baltic states of allowing Ukrainian drones to use their airspace to attack Russian infrastructure. Lithuanian and NATO officials have stated that the drones entering Lithuanian airspace most likely went off course due to Russian electronic warfare interference. Just yesterday, a drone crashed in the Utena region of northern Lithuania. Police said a drone, suspected to be from Ukraine and carrying explosives, crashed in the area. After assessment, it was decided to detonate it on-site to reduce public safety risks during transport. LRT also reported that Juozas Olekas, Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament, said today that authorities have some undisclosed information about possible Russian actions but cannot disclose it for security reasons. He also noted that it cannot be ruled out that Russia might simulate a Ukrainian drone intrusion into Lithuanian airspace or deliberately alter a drone's flight path to create an incident, urging the public to remain vigilant but avoid panic.