Russia is allegedly plotting false flag attacks across Europe using Ukrainian weapons in a bid to shatter Western support for Kyiv, top officials have warned. Alarm bells were sounded by leaders across Poland and the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—over fears Vladimir Putin's forces are preparing covert operations to trick NATO allies.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Issues Stark Warning
Lithuania's defence minister Robertas Kaunas issued a stark warning on Thursday over the escalating threat. He said: "We are talking about a false flag operation, using a false Ukrainian drone. One of the goals is for NATO to waver and decrease [support] to Ukraine. I can assure this will not happen."
The chilling alert follows comments from Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, who claimed in July that the Kremlin was scheming to launch targeted strikes on the country's critical infrastructure. Kremlin chiefs hit back at the allegations, rubbishing the warnings as nothing more than "scare stories", reports the Express.
Tensions Remain High in the Region
However, tensions remain at boiling point across the region as Baltic nations warn Moscow is actively deploying aggressive tactics and hybrid threats to destabilise European security.
The explosive claims come just days after a major security scare triggered chaos at a European transit hub. A runway was forced into lockdown at Leipzig Airport in Germany when a drone loaded with a suspect detonator was spotted lurking near a stationary Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane at the major DHL freight hub.
Drone Incident at Leipzig Airport
Specialist bomb disposal teams were rushed to the scene around midnight to inspect the unmanned aircraft, which was carrying an unidentified substance alongside a triggering mechanism. German Federal Police deployed high-tech robots to conduct a controlled detonation on the device as officers scrambled to secure the area. It is not yet clear who left the explosives at the airport.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warned the incident carried all the hallmarks of a coordinated operation. He said: "All of this does not point to an amateurish approach. We are talking about a professional, hybrid threat scenario that we will continue to address." Mr Dobrindt added that active inquiries into the breach may point to a possible "competition" that "may also involve foreign powers".
Investigation and Aftermath
Police in Lower Saxony have officially launched a state security investigation into the airport breach, confirming that targeted state sabotage has not been ruled out. The overnight drama caused air traffic chaos, forcing arriving flights to divert to alternative airports, including a holiday flight from Mallorca which was rerouted to Nuremberg, before the runway was finally reopened.
