Lithuania GRU Arson Attack 2026: Six Charged in Sabotage Plot

Six arrests, four countries, and one mastermind. Lithuanian authorities have charged half a dozen nationals for an attempted arson attack on a facility supplying vital military equipment to Ukraine. The plot, they say, leads directly back to Russia's GRU military intelligence.

Lithuania GRU Arson Attack 2026 Timeline and Details

On January 16, 2026, senior prosecutor Arturas Urbelis revealed that the group targeted a plant manufacturing radio wave scanners. The suspects, hailing from Spain, Colombia, Cuba, Russia, and Belarus, weren't driven by ideology but by cash. They reportedly received between 5,000 and 10,000 euros for their cooperation.

It's a chilling example of what security experts call 'proxy sabotage.' The GRU allegedly coordinated the operations from within Russia, using foreign nationals to minimize direct exposure. If convicted, each perpetrator faces up to 15 years in prison.

A Wider Campaign of Regional Sabotage

Lithuanian police deputy chief Saulius Briginas noted that this group didn't stop at the Lithuanian border. Similar arson attempts were linked to infrastructure in Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Targets included oil facilities and even public cinemas, suggesting a broad intent to create social and economic instability.

Russia has consistently dismissed these allegations. Moscow maintains that the West is simply stoking anti-Russian sentiment. However, the discovery of international arrest warrants and extradition efforts in Colombia points to a deeply interconnected network of paid saboteurs.