Lithuania Accuses Russia, Belarus Of Plotting Violent Attacks On Belarusian Exiles

Lithuania’s State Security Department (VSD) says it has uncovered a covert operation by Russian and Belarusian intelligence services aimed at inciting violence against Belarusian exiles living in Lithuania.

The plot, involving staged provocations and disinformation campaigns, was revealed in a statement released by the VSD and reported by the Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT.

According to Lithuanian authorities, foreign intelligence services have been orchestrating increasingly dangerous incidents targeting the Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania, which numbered more than 57,000 people as of early 2025.

Authorities say foreign agents have attempted to simulate clashes between so-called “Litvinist” Belarusians — followers of an ideology tying Belarusian identity to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania — and fabricated Lithuanian nationalist groups.

“The organizers are trying to stage conflicts between opposing forces — Belarusians who advocate for Litvinist ideas and so-called Lithuanian groups who appear to resist them,” the VSD said.

Recent Provocations

Officials stressed that no real extremist Litvinist groups have been identified in Lithuania, and that they believe the narrative is being manipulated in Belarusian and Russian propaganda to stir mistrust and division.

Recent provocations include fake video messages allegedly from Belarusian soldiers, anti-Belarusian graffiti, threats against Lithuanian lawmakers and Vilnius-based exiles, and social media campaigns spreading pseudohistorical claims about the region’s past.

The VSD warned residents not to fall for such provocations, noting that “participation in these activities could lead to administrative or criminal liability.”

Meanwhile, there has been growing scrutiny of Belarusian nationals living in Lithuania. Many face increasingly strict visa checks, difficulties extending residence permits, and even deportation due to past affiliations with Belarusian state institutions or the military.

Lithuanian media have labeled the disinformation campaign “Litvinism.” Authorities emphasize that the real danger lies not in the ideology itself, but in its exploitation to destabilize communities.

In recognition of its reporting on this issue, the Lithuanian government’s Department of National Minorities recently presented an award to RFE/RL’s Belarus Service for an investigative piece that shed light on the actors behind the campaign and its broader geopolitical implications./Rferl/