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Lithuania authorities maintain they exposed espionage ring linked with Russia

Earlier it was reported that the country’s law enforcement agencies had established a group of persons, allegedly gathering information on an assignment of Russia’s special services

MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. The Lithuanian authorities maintain that a group of people allegedly gathering information on an assignment from Russian special services, exposed in the country, belongs to an espionage network, Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis told AFP news agency on Thursday.

"Our secret services have promptly reacted to the activity of a Russian espionage ring in Lithuania and hampered the activity that imperiled national security," he was quoted as saying. The prime minister said these were not just isolated incidents, "but systematic activity aimed against our state".

On Wednesday, Director of the Lithuanian State Security Department Darius Jauniskis said the country’s law enforcement agencies had established a group of persons, allegedly gathering information on an assignment of Russia’s special services. He said opposition politician Algirdas Paleskis allegedly involved in this activity was detained over a month ago.

On Tuesday, police detained Russian national Valery Ivanov living in Lithuania. It maintained that firearms were found during the search at his apartment. It was said, however, that the investigation would specify whether suspicions against the Russian national were related to the espionage case. Ivanov was released from custody late on Wednesday.

According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Lithuania’s actions are yet another manifestation of country’s anti-Russian sentiment and backtracking on rules of democracy.