According to a statement on Thursday, the suspected arsonist was a Ukrainian minor acting on behalf of “Russian military and security structures.”
“These criminal acts were committed by a previously established terrorist group aimed at carrying out terrorist offenses in Lithuania and Latvia, alongside other individuals,” Lithuanian authorities said in a statement.
Polish prime minister’s response
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted that a Ukrainian national hired by Russian operatives also attempted to set fire to a paint factory in Wrocław.
“Such is the nature of this state,” Tusk wrote on social media, adding that such sabotage incidents have been discovered in Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, with indications of similar actions in Sweden.
Tusk previously announced that nine individuals had been arrested in Poland on suspicion of “direct involvement in acts of sabotage on behalf of Russian services.”
Coordinated investigation
The Lithuanian prosecutor’s office said it worked closely with law enforcement in Poland and other countries while investigating the May 9, 2024, blaze at the IKEA warehouse in Vilnius.
Polish authorities likewise linked the Warsaw mall fire to a broader sabotage campaign allegedly orchestrated by Moscow.
“This is a very serious matter,” Tusk told reporters, adding that it involves multiple European nations and underscores an emerging pattern of Russian-backed sabotage operations across the region.
(jh)
Source: IAR