Lithuania’s State Security Department (VSD) director Remigijus Bridikis has warned that Moscow is conducting coordinated information operations against the Baltic states, testing their readiness for a range of scenarios including military conflict. The warning comes as drone incidents near the region have intensified, with Bridikis telling LRT radio that Russia is pushing a false narrative that Baltic nations have officially allowed Ukrainian forces to use their airspace to strike targets inside Russia. The interview was reported by the Lithuanian broadcaster.
Moscow’s strategy to weaken Ukraine support
According to Bridikis, the Kremlin’s propaganda machinery is aiming to pressure Vilnius and its Baltic neighbours into reducing or halting military and financial aid to Kyiv. “We must understand that an information operation is being waged against us with the goal of exerting pressure so that we abandon or limit support for Ukraine,” he said. The operation includes spreading deliberately false claims that Baltic airspace has been cleared for Ukrainian drone strikes against Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, a charge Bridikis flatly denied.
Ukraine’s long-range strikes and Russian vulnerabilities
The VSD director noted that Ukraine’s precision attacks on Russian oil refineries, logistics hubs and air defences have become deeply painful for Moscow. Ukrainian drone strikes have destroyed roughly 30% of Russia’s gasoline production capacity and 25% of its diesel output, significantly reducing the Kremlin’s ability to fund its war effort. “These long-range sanctions have proven tactically and economically effective,” Bridikis said, adding that the strikes are a legitimate part of Ukraine’s defence. In response, he warned, Russia may escalate provocations, including attempts to further destabilise the Baltic region.
Impact on British security and defence spending
For British readers, the escalating information war and potential for Russian provocations on NATO’s eastern flank carry direct implications. The United Kingdom, as a founding NATO member and a key contributor to the alliance’s enhanced forward presence in Estonia, may face increased pressure to deploy additional troops or air defence assets to the region. Any deterioration in Baltic security could also influence UK defence budgeting, particularly as NATO allies push for higher spending commitments. Moreover, the Kremlin’s attempt to discredit the alliance could undermine public trust in collective defence arrangements that Britain relies on.
NATO and EU response
Brussels has already reacted to the heightened threat. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on 26 May 2026 plans to integrate Lithuanian air defence systems with the Copernicus and Galileo satellite networks to improve EU situational awareness. Separately, the EU has signed a military financing plan under its SAFE mechanism with Lithuania, and for the first time redirected €1.5 billion from its regional development fund to cover Baltic military needs linked to drone incidents. An additional €40 billion from other EU funds has been earmarked to strengthen the bloc’s eastern flank. Bridikis stressed that Russia currently lacks the conventional capacity to challenge NATO directly, but desperation could drive it towards reckless actions. “The determination to start a war against NATO members depends entirely on ourselves,” he said, pointing to the collective resolve of individual states, the region, and the alliance as a whole.
