Lithuania warns Russia could be considering possible ‘false flag’ strike on the Baltics

Lithuania’s defence minister Robertas Kaunas warned that Russia could be considering possible “false flag” provocations against Nato countries in the Baltic region.

A “false flag” is a term for an event or attack which would later be blamed on someone other than the actual perpetrator.

Kaunas said there was no specific date for any potential Russian actions, but authorities were closely monitoring Russia’s plans and exchanging information with Poland and other Nato allies.

“We are assessing and monitoring the threat level,” he said, quoted by LRT.

BNS news agency reported that one scenario believed to be considered by Moscow included a “false flag” strike using intercepted Ukrainian-made drones on the region’s critical infrastructure. Such possibility was also reported by Lithuanian media outlet 15min.

The minister suggested that a potential Russian attack – which could be carried using an intercepted or a reconstructed drone that would look like it is of Ukrainian-origin – would be used to test Nato’s resolve to support Ukraine.

He stressed that the risk of a conventional attack on Lithuania remained low, LRT said.

Kaunas’s latest comments come after months of warnings from senior regional leaders from Poland, Latvia and Lithuania about the risk of escalation by Russia.

Lithuania repeatedly experienced air drone alerts in the last few months.