Over the weekend, the Russian Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, was targeted by unidentified assailants, who threw Molotov cocktails at the building, on two successive nights.
These events took place in the early morning hours of both Sunday and Monday, causing damage to the embassy’s external wall. Following the attacks, Lithuanian police have initiated a criminal investigation into the property damage, which could lead to penalties of up to five years in prison.
Occurring amidst strained relations between Lithuania and Russia, these events also fit into a broader pattern of attacks on Russian embassies worldwide, which intensified following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
As a response to the escalating tensions, Lithuania has tightened border controls and visa issuance for Russian and Belarusian citizens.
