Lithuanian authorities have accused Russia’s military intelligence service of orchestrating an attempted arson attack in 2024 against a factory supplying critical radio-frequency scanning equipment to Ukraine’s armed forces, officials said on January 16, 2026. Prosecutors allege that the operation was directed by Russia’s GRU and aimed at disrupting the production of mobile spectrum analysis stations manufactured by UAB TVC Solutions in the northern city of Šiauliai, a case detailed in official statements cited by Lithuanian prosecutors on Russia’s role in the attempted arson attack.
Six individuals holding citizenship of Russia, Belarus, Spain, Colombia and Cuba have been charged with participation in a terrorist group, attempted terrorist attack and financing of terrorism. The indictment was finalised on January 12 and submitted to the Šiauliai District Court two days later, according to Artūras Urbelis, chief prosecutor at Lithuania’s Department for the Investigation of Organised Crime and Corruption.
Cross-border sabotage network under investigation
Lithuanian police said the same group also attempted to organise similar attacks in Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic, pointing to a coordinated campaign rather than an isolated incident. Saulius Briginas, deputy head of Lithuania’s criminal police, stated that the crimes were centrally directed by individuals based in Russia and linked to the GRU, underscoring the use of proxy operatives to mask direct involvement.
The investigation remains ongoing into four additional suspects. One was arrested in Colombia under an international warrant and is currently subject to extradition proceedings to Lithuania, while international arrest warrants have been issued for the remaining three.
Failed attacks but strategic intent
According to investigators, the first attempted arson took place on the night of September 17, 2024, when two Spanish nationals tried to set fire to company property but failed and fled to Latvia, where they were later detained. A second attempt occurred five days later, involving a Belarusian and a Russian citizen who had arrived from Spain. Believing the attack had succeeded, they left the scene, though prosecutors confirmed that no damage was ultimately caused.
UAB TVC Solutions produces mobile radio-frequency spectrum analysis stations used by Ukraine’s military, making the facility a strategically sensitive target. Lithuanian officials argue that the choice of target demonstrates a detailed understanding of supply chains supporting Ukraine and reflects an effort to weaken Kyiv indirectly while expanding the conflict beyond Ukrainian territory.
Hybrid warfare reaches inside the EU
The case has heightened concerns in Vilnius and other European capitals about Russia’s use of sabotage and terrorism as tools of hybrid warfare inside the European Union. The multinational composition of the alleged network is seen as consistent with GRU methods, relying on foreign nationals and criminal intermediaries to reduce political risk and complicate attribution.
Lithuanian public broadcaster reporting has framed the Šiauliai case as part of a broader pattern of coordinated operations linked to Russian intelligence, noting its implications for EU security and counterintelligence cooperation in coverage of what is known about the GRU-linked terrorist plot in Šiauliai.
Implications for European security policy
For EU and NATO members, the incident highlights the vulnerability of defence-related industries far from active battlefields and the need for tighter protection of facilities supporting Ukraine. Lithuanian officials argue that safeguarding such infrastructure must become a shared European security priority, alongside deeper intelligence sharing and more robust action against Russian intelligence networks operating across borders.
The attempted arson in Šiauliai is increasingly cited by officials as further evidence of Russia’s willingness to employ sabotage and terror tactics to achieve foreign policy goals. In Vilnius, the case is viewed as a warning that the front line of hybrid warfare already runs through the territory of the European Union.
