VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania’s president said Wednesday that intelligence assessments suggest Russia is planning potential attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic states or Poland.President Gitanas Nauseda said authorities were monitoring the risk of attacks that could disrupt the country’s energy and transport systems, including facilities supporting Lithuania’s connections with the European electricity grid.“I cannot deny that we have such information and that it concerns limited kinetic operations likely targeting critical infrastructure,” Nauseda told Lithuania’s BNS news agency. Nauseda said the intelligence did not identify a specific location or timing for the potential attacks. He said that such provocations could involve conventional or other means.Russia dismissed the claim as an excuse to justify NATO’s military buildup in the Baltics.Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics similarly warned on Wednesday that, with Ukraine increasingly effective at putting pressure on Russia, Moscow might respond with provocations against NATO’s eastern flank.
“Even without a total Ukrainian victory, Russia may indirectly test Article 5 and response mechanisms at the Alliance and European Union levels,” Rinkevics said, referring to NATO’s common defense guarantee.“The next few months, or even the next 12 months, will be crucial for Baltic security,” he added.
