Lithuania: Russia’s “reign of terror” in Crimea must end: President

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda is visiting Ukraine to attend the fourth annual summit of the Crimea Platform, BNS reports. Speaking at the event, Nauseda demanded that Russia release all illegally imprisoned Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars. He noted that Russia had implemented “brutal colonial policies” in Crimea for the past ten years. Russia’s reign of terror…

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Lithuania: Lithuanian firm used in Russian influence campaign in US

Some internet domains used by Russia to meddle in the upcoming US presidential elections were purchased using the Lithuanian cryptocurrency payment platform, CoinGate, according to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), BNS reports. CoinGate is owned by Vilnius-based Decentralized (former Virtualios Valiutos), which established a subsidiary, CoinGate, in the US in 2021. Some of…

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Lithuania: Vandalism attacks target Belarusian community in Vilnius

Police in Lithuania have recorded several acts of vandalism targeting Belarusians living in Vilnius recently, BNS reports. A message, “No place for Belarusian parasites here,” was painted in red on the street outside the Dapamoga refugee shelter. Also, windows of a Belarusian museum and a chapel where Belarusians usually pray were smashed. Belarusian opposition leader…

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Lithuania: Belarusian officials named suspects in Ryanair hijack

The National Public Prosecutor’s Office of Poland has named three Belarusian nationals suspects in the hijacking of a Ryanair flight in May 2021, BNS reports. The Belarusian Air Force forced the Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius in Lithuania to land in Minsk. Belarusian authorities then arrested two opposition activists onboard. The three suspects held…

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Lithuania: Military academy opens training centre for drone operators

The General Jonas Zemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania (LKA) has opened an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) competence centre, Militarnyi reports. Defence Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said that the drone competence centre would teach how to fly drones and gain both theoretical and practical knowledge. LKA will organise both stationary courses in Vilnius and field courses in…

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Baltic: Number of foreign hotel guests still below pre-pandemic level

The number of nights spent by foreign visitors in the three Baltic capitals was highest in Tallinn in the first half of 2024, according to data from the Latvian Hotel and Restaurant Association (LVRA), BNS reports. Foreigners spent 1.075 million nights at accommodation establishments in Tallinn, followed by Riga with 851,000 and Vilnius with 699,000….

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Lithuania: Telia to lay off 400 people

Swedish telecommunications group Telia Company plans to lay off 400 people in Lithuania, BNS reports. The company intends to lay off 200 employees at telecommunications operator Telia Lietuva and another 200 at its Vilnius-based competence centre, Telia Global Services Lithuania. The group will decentralise most of its operations, with decision-making moved to each country, as…

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