In a significant development, Lithuanian prosecutors have officially linked the Russian military intelligence service, known as the GRU, to an arson attack that occurred at an Ikea store in Vilnius last year. The prosecutors have described the incident, which took place in May 2024, as an “act of terrorism.” This assertion is underscored by Lithuania’s ongoing support for Ukraine amidst the heightened tensions following Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Prosecutor Arturas Urbelis revealed to reporters that the fire caused no injuries but emphasized the seriousness of the crime. He stated, “We regard this act as an act of terrorism with serious consequences.” During the investigation, two Ukrainian citizens emerged as suspects. One individual was detained in Lithuania, while the other was apprehended in Poland.
According to Urbelis, investigations indicated that despite the suspects being from Ukraine, the orchestration of the attack involved intermediaries based in Russia, directly tied to military intelligence and security forces. Further demonstrating the collaboration linked to these clandestine operations, he noted, “It has been established that through a series of intermediaries…the organizers of these crimes are in Russia.”
In support of the prosecutor’s findings, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys took to social media platform X, reaffirming the Kremlin’s “terrorist nature,” and asserted, “It’s clear who we are dealing with.”
The arson attack in Vilnius has raised alarms regarding a broader pattern of sabotage operations, particularly across neighboring countries. The prosecutors established that the suspect detained in Lithuania had reportedly entered Poland in the spring of 2024. They further noted that during a covert meeting in Warsaw, he and another accomplice allegedly discussed plans to ignite fires and detonate explosives in shopping centers located in both Lithuania and Latvia, with a financial incentive of €10,000 (approximately $11,000) for their actions.
Urbelis indicated that the arson incidents were not isolated and connected to other crimes committed in Poland. He noted, “It is obvious that the persons we have identified, the perpetrators and the intermediaries, are also linked to the criminal acts committed in Poland.”
Poland has opened about 30 investigations regarding potential sabotage, with authorities citing an increase in activities from foreign intelligence services since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Prosecutor Przemyslaw Nowak emphasized the troubling trend, stating, “Unfortunately, we have evidence that in Poland, and not only in Poland, there are several organized groups that plan and carry out acts of sabotage.”
Welcoming the findings from Lithuania, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed outrage over the alleged involvement of Ukrainians in the sabotage efforts orchestrated by Russian operatives. In a post on X, he described the situation as “exceptionally perfidious,” and reiterated that the investigations confirmed the suspicions surrounding Russian secret services’ role in the attacks on shopping centers in both Vilnius and Warsaw. He remarked, “Good to know before negotiations. Such is the nature of this state,” hinting at the implications for future discussions regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
