Lithuania Fears Russia May Try to Influence Its Elections – Reuters

By Andrius Sytas

VILNIUS – Lithuanian intelligence agencies are expressing concerns about potential Russian interference in its upcoming elections, including a presidential election in May to choose a successor to the firm anti-Kremlin president, Dalia Grybauskaite.

The Baltic nation, which experienced decades of Russian dominance throughout the 20th century but is currently a member of the European Union and NATO, has been on high alert since Russia’s annexation of Crimea. To strengthen its defenses against a possible Russian aggression, Lithuania hosts a German-led multinational battalion. This year, the country is set to hold presidential, municipal, and European Parliament elections, alongside a parliamentary election scheduled for 2020.

In a joint annual assessment published recently, the intelligence agencies warned that “Russian intelligence will step up its activity during the 2019-2020 election cycle.” They indicated that Russia might attempt to influence the elections through information and cyber means, including disseminating propaganda and disinformation across Lithuanian social media platforms.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, dismissed these allegations as "absolute nonsense," asserting that Russia does not interfere in the elections of other countries.

The Russian state has been implicated in various cyber attacks in the past. Notable incidents include a concerted assault on the information systems of Estonia in 2007 and a significant power outage in Ukraine in 2016, both of which Russia denies being involved in.

The Lithuanian report also highlighted that Russia is increasing its military presence in the Kaliningrad enclave, located along the borders of Lithuania and Poland, which includes the deployment of tanks and bombers, as well as upgrading weaponry to include nuclear-capable missiles.

Additionally, the report warned of a heightened risk for "unintentional incidents" stemming from intensified military activities along the Russian-Lithuanian border. Observations by the agencies noted attempts by Russian intelligence to target individuals in Lithuania’s energy sector and to hack into control systems, potentially aiming to disrupt the nation’s electricity supply.

Peskov, in response, downplayed these concerns, stating that energy self-sufficiency had been secured with the recent opening of a gas liquefaction plant in Kaliningrad.

In an effort to enhance its energy independence, Lithuania is expanding its liquefied natural gas terminal in Klaipeda and is collaborating with neighboring Baltic states, Latvia and Estonia, to reduce reliance on Russian energy sources.