Lithuanian intelligence says Russia may plan false-flag drone attacks in Europe

Lithuanian defence officials said on Monday that intelligence services have uncovered a Russian plan to use seized Ukrainian drones in false-flag incidents across several European countries. The alleged operation, they said, would aim to undermine NATO cohesion and reduce support for Ukraine.

Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas told reporters in Vilnius that the ministry is collecting information on the scheme and warned that the goal is to provoke NATO hesitation. "We are talking about a false-flag operation, using a false Ukrainian drone... One of the goals is for NATO to waver and decrease support to Ukraine," he said.

Officials from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have also voiced concerns that Moscow may target their infrastructure in sabotage attacks, according to a Reuters report. All four nations are NATO members and would be covered by the alliance’s collective defence commitment.

German authorities launched a counter-terror investigation after a drone carrying explosives was found near Leipzig/Halle Airport on Wednesday. A DHL aircraft was forced to land in Hannover after colliding with an unidentified object, and Saxony police confirmed the drone was loaded with explosives. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as a "new level of threat" and said it indicated a "professional, hybrid threat scenario."

Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations as "scare stories." Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Oleksii Makeiev, speaking to a television outlet, questioned who else could be responsible for the Leipzig incident.

The report comes amid a series of incidents since 2022 that have affected rail, energy and logistics facilities across Europe, some of which have been linked to Russian interference.