Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have officially summoned Russian diplomatic representatives to lodge protests against Moscow. The Baltic nations accuse the Kremlin of disseminating false narratives regarding their domestic policies while simultaneously intensifying missile and drone assaults against Ukraine.
According to officials, these claims suggest that the Baltic states are preparing for mass deportations of Russian-speaking residents and have permitted Ukraine to utilize their sovereign airspace for attacks on Russian territory. Governments in Estonia and Lithuania stated that these allegations, notably voiced by Russian Foreign Ministry official Grigori Lukyantsev, represent a strategic effort by Moscow to portray itself as a victim and distract from its ongoing military actions in Ukraine.
Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry told Euronews that Russia is attempting to deflect responsibility for crimes committed during the invasion. Similarly, Susan Lilleväli, spokesperson for Estonia’s foreign ministry, argued that these accusations serve to distract from Russia’s own violations of international law, specifically the forced transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna rejected the claims as unfounded propaganda, emphasizing that his country remains a democratic state governed by the rule of law.
The current tensions follow the release of a joint human rights report by the Russian and Belarusian Foreign Ministries, which accused the Baltic states of fostering “Nazism” and “Russophobia.” The report specifically targeted Latvia’s amended Immigration Law, which mandates that Russian citizens apply for EU long-term resident status, pass security checks, and demonstrate A2-level Latvian language proficiency. These measures affected approximately 30,000 individuals, most of whom have complied with the requirements.
The diplomatic friction is further exacerbated by allegations from Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, who claimed the Baltic states provided air corridors for Ukrainian drones to strike Russian infrastructure. Latvia’s foreign ministry dismissed these claims as “blatantly false” and demanded an immediate retraction. Lithuania and Estonia confirmed they have never permitted their territory or airspace to be used for drone strikes against Russia.
Lithuanian intelligence services noted in their 2026 Threat Assessment that Russia consistently attempts to portray the Baltic states as persecutors of Russian speakers to justify its foreign policy and increase regional pressure. Amid these diplomatic démarches, the Baltic countries condemned the recent Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other areas, which resulted in dozens of civilian deaths and hundreds of injuries. Lithuania characterized these actions as grave breaches of international humanitarian law, affirming its commitment to holding those responsible for war crimes accountable.
