VILNIUS, December 19. /TASS/. A spy spat staged in Lithuania is a new anti-Russian attack from the Lithuanian authorities, the Russian Embassy told TASS in comments on the statement from the Lithuanian Department of State Security and the Prosecutor General’s Office about the allegedly exposed intelligence activities in favor of Russia.

"There is no doubt that another espionage row launched here is a new serious and flagrant anti-Russian action of the Lithuanian authorities," the embassy stressed.

The Lithuanian authorities suspect opposition politician Algirdas Paleskis of espionage in favor of Russia, Director of the Lithuanian State Security Department Darius Jauniskis told a news conference earlier on Wednesday.

Several Lithuanian nationals have been detained within the framework of espionage charges, he said without specifying how many.

"We are talking about the activities of a group of persons established more than a year ago, to collect information on the instructions of a Russian intelligence agency," Jauniskis said. 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 will specify whether suspicions against the Russian national are connected with the espionage case.

Earlier, the Russian Embassy told TASS that diplomats were seeking to meet with the Russian national and with the investigator probing his case.