In a shocking revelation, Lithuanian officials have accused Russia’s military intelligence of orchestrating a deliberate arson attack on an IKEA store in Vilnius last year.
The Lithuanian prosecutor’s office announced that charges have been filed against a suspect who allegedly set fire to the shopping center on May 9, 2024. The individual, who was a minor at the time, reportedly acted on behalf of Russian military and security services.
According to prosecutors, the suspect and an accomplice met secretly in Warsaw, Poland, where they agreed to carry out attacks on shopping centers in Lithuania and Latvia in exchange for a payment of €10,000 and a BMW.
“These acts of terrorism were intended to spread fear within our society, pressure Lithuania and the European Union to withdraw support for Ukraine, and destabilize the country’s political and economic systems,” the prosecutor’s office stated.
Lithuania, along with its Baltic neighbors and Poland, has been one of Ukraine’s strongest allies in its fight against Russia’s invasion. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Russia and Eastern European nations supporting Kyiv.
