The Dispatch

Russian drone strikes Estonia power plant

A drone believed to have come from Russian airspace struck a chimney at Estonia’s Auvere power station in Ida-Viru County on Wednesday morning, in what authorities say was not a…

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Estonia plans to extend military service to 12 months

Estonia plans to extend compulsory military service to 12 months for all conscripts starting in 2027, under reforms proposed by the government. A draft bill submitted by Defense Minister Hanno…

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Lithuania weighs suspending passenger routes to Russia and Belarus

As Latvia moves to suspend regular passenger services to Russia and Belarus, Lithuania’s interior minister said that adopting a similar measure is worth considering in response to growing security threats…

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Lithuania capital airport closes again over balloons

Lithuania's Vilnius airport said on Sunday it had temporarily halted operations due to suspected balloons in its airspace, the latest in a series of flight disruptions in the Baltic nation.…

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Lithuania’s Vilnius airport closes again due to balloons

Lithuania's Vilnius airport said on Sunday it had temporarily halted operations due to balloons moving towards its airspace, diverting some incoming flights to other cities. "Attention: Vilnius Airport operations have…

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Latvia Encourages Citizens to Strengthen National Reserve

Latvia’s National Armed Forces are encouraging citizens to apply for next year’s reservist basic military training. The course will run from August 8 to 29, 2026, and applications are open…

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Latvia votes to exit treaty opposing violence against women

The Latvian Parliament on Thursday voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty aimed at supporting women who are victims of violence. The tally from the ballot was 56 to…

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Lithuania shuts Vilnius airport, Belarus border in fourth airspace incident this week

NATO member Lithuania closed Vilnius Airport and Belarus border crossings on Sunday after several objects, identified as likely helium balloons, entered its airspace, the National Crisis Management Centre said, the…

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Russian aircraft cross into Lithuanian airspace

A Russian fighter jet and a refueling aircraft briefly crossed into Lithuanian airspace from the Kaliningrad region on Thursday evening, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda condemned…

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Vilnius Expands Human-Centered Street Redesigns

Vilnius continues to redesign streets around residents’ needs, moving past early political controversy, with 37 streets scheduled for transformation between 2025 and 2027, city officials said. Urban planners stress that…

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Baltic states plan for mass evacuations in case of a Russian attack

Alarmed by Russia's vast military spending since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the three Baltic states are drawing up contingency plans to deal with the possibility of hundreds of thousands…

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Latvia Strengthens Eastern Flank Security with New Air and Land Restrictions

Latvia is reinforcing its border security with Russia and Belarus, extending both air and land restrictions indefinitely as part of ongoing efforts to manage regional security risks and align with…

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Turkey deploys warning plane to Lithuania under NATO measures after Russian airspace violations

Turkey temporarily deployed a warning and control aircraft to Lithuania as part of NATO security measures, the defence ministry said on Thursday, following repeated airspace violations by Russian drones. Lithuania,…

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Lithuania says it busted Russian-linked network that planned terror attacks in Europe

Lithuanian prosecutors said they uncovered a network of suspects who planned to carry out four terrorist attacks across Europe, using parcel services to send incendiary explosives hidden in everyday items.…

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Lithuania Trains Youth in Drone Operations Along Russia Border

On the border with Russia, Lithuania's Defence Ministry has launched the first of what will be nine schools around the country teaching children as young as 10 and adults how…

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Lithuania Heightens Security as Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace and Zapad Drills Begin

Lithuanian authorities placed the country’s air raid alert system on standby and reinforced border security this week amid mounting regional tensions caused by Russian drone incursions into NATO territory and…

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Vilnius Airport temporarily suspends flights after ‘unidentified object’ detected

Flights at Vilnius Airport were briefly suspended Tuesday morning after air traffic controllers reported detecting a flying object, Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre said. The suspension was introduced as a…

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African swine fever outbreak confirmed in Latvia, cull required

An outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) has been confirmed at SIA Baltic Pork in Laubere parish, Ogre region, affecting 20,000 pigs, the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) said on…

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Lithuania presses EU to act on Ukraine as Hungary blocks accession

As tensions between Budapest and Kyiv flare again, hopes are fading that Hungary will lift its veto on the start of Ukraine’s European Union accession talks. Lithuania, however, is urging…

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Lithuania Appoints Trade Union Veteran Inga Ruginienė as Prime Minister

Lithuania’s parliament on Tuesday confirmed Inga Ruginienė — a longtime trade union leader and relative newcomer to politics — as the country’s new prime minister, following the resignation of Gintautas…

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Kyiv’s supporters must be ‘prepared’ to deploy forces to Ukraine – Lithuania’s president

The Lithuanian president says countries of the so-called “coalition of the willing” need to be prepared to deploy forces to Ukraine. Gitanas Nausėda took part in the meeting of the…

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Latvia to Ban One-Off Bus Trips to Russia and Belarus from October

Latvia plans to ban occasional passenger bus services to Russia and Belarus from 15 October, citing heightened border security concerns, the Ministry of Transport said. The measure would cover one-off,…

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Mayor of Estonia’s Capital Blames Alcohol Availability for Persistent Public Nuisance

Tallinn Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski has emphasized the need for long-term structural solutions to address alcohol-related social issues in the capital, rather than superficial measures such as removing benches from public…

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Lithuania’s prime minister quits after pressure over business ties to sister-in-law

Lithuania's Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said on Thursday he would resign, after facing pressure to do so over his business ties to a company owned by his sister-in-law. Paluckas in…

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Lithuania Mulls Airspace Closures Amid Rising Drone Incursions from Belarus

Lithuanian authorities are actively considering partial airspace closures to counter the increasing threat posed by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) entering the country illegally from Belarus, Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said…

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Drone from Belarus breaches Lithuanian airspace

An unidentified drone has entered Lithuania from Belarus, the country's authorities said on Monday morning. Residents in parts of the country received phone alert messages warning about the aircraft, which…

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New synthetic opioid spreads across the Baltic states

The widespread proliferation of nitazenes—a highly potent class of synthetic opioids—has emerged as a key factor behind the sharp increase in drug overdose deaths in Estonia in recent years, ERR.ee…

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Busy week for NATO in the Baltics

Last week, on 16-22 June, NATO jets conducting the Baltic Air Policing Mission in Lithuania were scrambled 7 times to identify and escort Russian military aircraft that violated international airspace.…

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Lithuanian cities prepare their defences

A new defence infrastructure park dubbed the Vilnius Shield has been unveiled in the Lithuanian capital. According to Mayor Valdas Benkunskas, the site contains anti-tank barriers and other equipment that…

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Lithuania Told to Boost Civic Readiness: Focus on Schools and Inclusive Defence Training

Knowledge of national defence needs to be strengthened among schoolchildren, and civil resistance training for adults should cover a wider area of the country and be adapted for people with…

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Lithuania opposes EU proposal for annual inspections of older cars

Lithuania has voiced opposition to a European Commission proposal that would require annual technical inspections for cars older than 10 years, citing the country’s ageing vehicle fleet and calling for…

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Lithuania faces growing risk of drought and extreme weather

Once known for its excess rainfall, Lithuania is increasingly becoming a land of water shortages, raising concerns of potentially dangerous or even extreme droughts this summer, according to meteorologist Gytis…

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We want ‘more lethal’ NATO, says Lithuanian FM

Lithuania wants a stronger, better prepared and “more lethal” NATO, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys says, adding that the goal is to make decisions to achieve this during the upcoming NATO…

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Latvia warns public that ‘unkempt tourists’ might actually be Russian spies

Latvia's intelligence agency has issued a public warning about potential Russian saboteurs and spies operating within the country, disguised as tourists or hikers. The Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD)…

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Estonia says Russia sent jet after attempt to stop sanction-breaking ship

Estonia said on Thursday that Moscow had briefly sent a military jet into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea during an attempt to stop a Russian-bound oil tanker thought to…

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Lithuania to deploy troops to Belarus border amid increase of migrants

Lithuania will deploy additional military personnel to its border with Belarus in response to a rise in the number of irregular migrants attempting to cross from the neighbouring country. “We’ve…

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Latvia to Upgrade 570 Public Bomb Shelters with EU Funding

Latvia will adapt approximately 570 public bomb shelters under a new initiative supported by over €22.2 million in European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) financing, Minister of the Interior Rihards Kozlovskis…

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GPS disruptions in Latvia rise, impacting navigation but not safety

For three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the number of navigation system disruptions in Europe, including Latvian airspace, has been on the rise. However, those responsible stress that…

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Third-country citizens’ travel requirements tightened in Latvia

Third-country citizens who have not been issued a visa or residence permit in Latvia will be required to provide specific information about themselves, their relatives and the purpose of their…

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Mystery over 4 US soldiers missing in Lithuania

NATO chief Mark Rutte had said four US troops were killed during a training exercise. However, NATO later clarified that the soldiers are still missing and their fate remains unknown.…

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Lithuania and Poland Bolster Civil and Military Preparedness Amid Russian Threat

As tensions with Russia escalate, Lithuania and Poland are intensifying their civil and military readiness. Both nations, deeply influenced by the war in Ukraine, are taking proactive measures to strengthen…

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Lithuania Considers Troop Deployment to Ukraine

If Ukraine requested the deployment of troops from some Western countries, including Lithuania, Vilnius would discuss the issue with allies, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has said. “We’d talk with our…

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Lithuania’s Defence Ministry finalizes conscription list for 2025 identifying 25,000 young men

The Lithuanian Defence Ministry has finalized the list of conscripts for 2025, identifying 25,149 young men eligible for mandatory military service. The process, initiated by Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė with…

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Tallinn looking to introduce tourist tax

Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Margot Roose (Eesti 200) made the suggestion in response to a document from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. It forecasts an increase in tourist flows over…

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Lithuania’s new government takes office amid controversy over antisemitism

Lithuania's new centre-left government took office on Thursday, led by Social Democrat Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and including a party whose leader is on trial accused of antisemitic statements. Paluckas'…

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Lithuanian President warns threat level to Lithuania is rising

"The level of threats is clearly rising and I would say in an accelerating trajectory. We have seen various kinds of incidents. So far, we cannot confirm the link between…

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Lithuania ready to offer refuge to Georgian president

Lithuania is ready to offer refuge to Georgia’s pro-Western President Salome Zourabichvili if she had to flee her country, Asta Skaisgirytė, President Gitanas Nausėda’s chief foreign policy adviser, said. “Lithuania…

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Lithuania leans towards technical cause for DHL plane crash

Lithuania is leaning towards a technical cause for the crash on Monday of a DHL cargo plane as it came in to land at Vilnius airport, the country's National Crisis…

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Lithuanian DHL plane crash could be sabotage, German foreign minister says

Authorities must “seriously” consider whether a cargo plane crash in Lithuania was an act of “hybrid” warfare, Germany’s foreign minister said. A DHL cargo plane flying from Leipzig, Germany, to…

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UPDATED: DHL cargo plane crashes near Vilnius airport

A DHL cargo plane crashed near Lithuania’s Vilnius airport on Monday at about 0330 GMT, killing one person and injuring two others, airport, police and firefighter officials told Reuters. The…

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Incendiary parcels sent from Lithuania as part of Russian covert operation

The incendiary devices sent from Lithuania on DHL planes in the summer were part of a Russian covert operation, the Wall Street Journal reports. In July, one device caused a…

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Lithuania leftist opposition win election, eyes coalition

The opposition Social Democrats claimed victory in Lithuania's parliamentary election on Sunday, which was dominated by frustration with the cost of living and worries over potential threats from neighbouring Russia.…

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Social Democrat leader expects to become Lithuania’s PM after election win

The leader of Lithuania's main opposition Social Democrats said on Monday she expected to become the next prime minister of the frontline NATO member state after her party won most…

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Lithuanian government approves 114-euro minimum wage rise

On Wednesday, Lithuania’s cabinet of ministers decided to increase the minimum monthly wage by 114 euros, to 1,038 before tax. Next year, minimum wage earners will see their disposable income…

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Hot summer leads to Estonian butter shortage

Some stores in Estonia are experiencing a shortage of butter, which has been caused by the summer weather, producers believe. Farmi and Tere board member Ülo Kivine explained that the…

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Latvia asks Lithuania’s assistance in policing its border with Belarus

Latvia has asked Lithuania to send 10–15 border guards to help it handle irregular migration on its border with Belarus. “Latvia has asked for 10–15 officers. And this is the…

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New new heat record set in Lithuania

A new heat record was set in Lithuania last Friday as the mercury rose to 34 degrees centigrade in the southern resort town of Druskininkai, the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service reports.…

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