3 April 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Lithuanian law enforcement said on Thursday it had seized more than 1 tonne of cocaine, including 800 kilograms found inside Lithuania, in a haul worth tens of millions of euros on the black market. Investigators tied the shipment to a trafficking route that crossed several countries and are now mapping the supply chain and identifying suspects.

Border guards stopped 117 irregular migrants at the Belarus border between March 30 and April 2, with this year’s highest daily totals reaching 34 and 35. A 12-person group near the Aleksandras Barauskas border post triggered a helicopter search, while firefighters pulled some migrants from a marsh. Environmental experts warned that the worsening condition of the Curonian Lagoon threatens the wider Lithuanian coast. Police are also investigating cases involving the abuse of minors in Radviliškis district and Šiauliai.

Litgrid said Lithuania’s installed wind and solar capacity has reached 5.9 GW and is closing in on 6 GW. The country is still about 2 GW short of its strategic renewables target, while the currently allowed generation capacity stands at 5.2 GW, increasing pressure on grid balancing. Lawmaker Lukas Savickas said delayed government decisions could cost Lithuania up to 30,000 jobs. In Trakai, police are investigating after a body was found in a lake.

A person was killed in a nighttime clash near a school in Kaunas. Three drones and their operators were detained near Vilnius Airport.

sources: lrt.lt, delfi.lt, 15min.lt, lrytas.lt, tv3.lt

Law enforcement catch: more than 1 ton of cocaine seized, 800 kilograms found in Lithuania

Lithuanian law enforcement said on Thursday it had seized more than 1 tonne of cocaine, with 800 kilograms found inside Lithuania. The haul is tied to a wider cross-border probe, according to LRT, which said part of the shipment was intercepted as investigators tracked the flow through several countries. The case now shifts to identifying suspects, mapping the route and tracing the supply chain, with more arrests and asset seizures likely.

Why it matters

The scale points to a highly organised transit route that may have moved through Lithuania. Cases of this size often lead to broader arrests and financial seizures, hitting logistics chains and organised crime networks across the region.

sources:lrt.lt delfi.lt

Energy

Power of wind and solar parks installed in Lithuania reached 6 GW

Litgrid said this week that Lithuania’s installed wind and solar capacity has topped 5.9 GW and is closing in on 6 GW. The utility said the allowed generation capacity is 5.2 GW, while even more projects are already planned or under construction. That points to more grid connections in the months ahead and a tougher balancing act for the system operator as renewable output rises.

Why it matters

More wind and solar power cuts the need for imports and lifts domestic generation, but it also puts fresh strain on the grid at peak times. For consumers, the key issue is whether new lines and battery storage arrive fast enough to prevent some of that capacity from going unused.

sources:delfi.lt tv3.lt

Society

Migrant waves at Lithuania’s border hit records again — silence at border was temporary

On April 3, Lithuania’s border guard said 117 illegal migrants were stopped on the border with Belarus between March 30 and April 2, including this year’s highest daily totals of 34 and 35 on Monday and Wednesday. One 12-person group near the Aleksandras Barauskas outpost prompted a helicopter search, while firefighters helped pull some migrants out of a marsh. The Border Guard Service is keeping a tighter watch on crossing points where small groups keep probing the frontier.

Why it matters

For border communities, it means more patrols, more fire-service callouts and heavier pressure on officers working marshes and forest tracks. Each surge also forces Lithuania to keep spending on surveillance and response as migration routes through Belarus stay active.

sources:lrytas.lt

Europe

Summary

Russia hit Ukraine with nearly 500 drones and missiles on April 3, adding to a March 24 barrage of almost 1,000 attack drones and dozens of missiles in one of the year’s biggest assaults. The latest strikes targeted the Kyiv region, while the earlier daytime attack killed at least three people and damaged energy and rail infrastructure in western Ukraine.

Ukraine’s military said it detected more than 400 Russian drones in its airspace over one day, and Poland scrambled fighter jets during attacks near its border. In the Sumy region, a Russian strike damaged a civilian bus and injured all passengers. Kyiv said Russia lost 1,230 troops in the past 24 hours, while Ukrainian strikes inside Russia hit five strategic plants and 10 oil facilities. A Russian Su-30 fighter jet worth about €50 million also crashed in occupied Crimea.

Across Europe, doubts over future US commitment to NATO are pushing allies toward more military exercises and faster defence planning. Germany, Poland and the Nordics are stepping up preparedness, while Polish border guards detained another group of migrants heading west. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also indicated that Ukraine is open to discussing a possible Easter truce.

A French court ruled that former Snoras shareholder Vladimir Antonov will be handed over to Lithuania. In Paris, dozens of school staff came under suspicion of sexual abuse against children. Volodymyr Zelensky said Egypt will not buy grain seized by Russia from occupied Ukrainian territories.

sources: delfi.lt, 15min.lt, tv3.lt, lrytas.lt

Russia lost 1,230 soldiers in the war against Ukraine over the past day

Ukraine’s general staff said on April 3 that Russia lost 1,230 troops over the previous 24 hours as fighting continued along several sectors of the front. Kyiv also reported fresh losses of armoured vehicles, artillery and drones, suggesting Moscow’s attrition is not confined to manpower alone. Ukraine is using the figures to argue that Russia is struggling to restore momentum, even as assaults continue around eastern towns.

Why it matters

For Ukrainian defenders, the figures can translate into shorter Russian assault cycles in some sectors and more time to strengthen lines. In Western capitals, they matter for judging how long Moscow can sustain the current tempo and how much support Kyiv will need.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Russia fired nearly 500 unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles at Ukraine, says Sybiha

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on April 3 that Russia fired nearly 500 drones and missiles overnight, with the Kyiv region among the main targets. Ukrainian officials said the assault came as Moscow has stepped up both aerial strikes and ground attacks across the front, after earlier barrages hit places including Lviv, Dnipro and Ivano-Frankivsk. Ukraine is now counting casualties and damage, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signalled Kyiv is open to discussing a possible Easter truce.

Why it matters

Ukrainian civilians are again facing both night and day strikes that stretch air defences and raise the risk to homes and infrastructure. Sustained attacks on this scale make it harder for regions to keep power, heating and medical services running.

sources:delfi.lt

Crime

Terrifying Russian strike: dropped a munition on a bus, all passengers injured

A Russian strike in Ukraine's Sumy region on April 3 damaged a bus carrying civilians, and local officials reported injuries. The attack landed amid a wave of missile and drone strikes that have repeatedly hit transport links as well as military targets. Medics were sent to evacuate the wounded and assess the damage, while local authorities checked whether bus routes could keep operating safely.

Why it matters

Civilian passengers in a war zone are exposed on routine trips to work, clinics or evacuation points. When buses and public transport come under fire, daily movement gets harder and rescuers have to operate in greater danger.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Ukraine: Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles in a mass daytime attack

Russia launched almost 1,000 attack drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine on March 24, one of the biggest strikes of the year, with the daytime phase reaching western regions far from the front line. At least three people were killed, and Kyiv said energy and rail infrastructure were among the targets. The attack showed Moscow can still saturate Ukraine’s air defenses while hitting transport and power assets deep in the rear.

Why it matters

For civilians in western Ukraine, the strike widened the threat zone beyond the front and exposed areas that had seen fewer attacks before. Hits on rail and power assets can disrupt freight, electricity supply and internal travel across the country.

sources:15min.lt delfi.lt

World

Summary

The Trump administration on April 3 asked Congress to approve a $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027, making the war with Iran the central driver of U.S. spending plans. The Pentagon also confirmed that the top U.S. military officer will step down as operations expand in the region and crews search for the airmen from a jet downed over western Iran.

Iran said on April 3 that it had shot down a U.S. fighter jet over western Iran, with the two-person crew still missing. In the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran issued a fresh warning to the United States after earlier strikes on bases and infrastructure in neighboring states. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli attacks had destroyed 70% of Iran’s steel production capacity. In Ukraine, six people were killed in Russia’s April 2 missile and drone assault, including in a strike on a residential area in the Kyiv region.

Donald Trump also announced new tariffs on medicines and reworked metals duties, adding trade pressure to a broader plan to raise military spending and cut domestic programs. A strike also penetrated a water purification plant, widening the war’s impact on civilian infrastructure.

NASA’s Artemis II left Earth orbit on April 2 and is heading for the Moon with four astronauts aboard. A close lunar flyby is scheduled for April 6 on the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit since 1972.

A 14-year-old boy was shot dead in broad daylight in London, and police detained several young suspects. China is culling cattle and tightening border controls over a foot-and-mouth outbreak. The United States warned its citizens in Lebanon over potential targets linked to Iran and allied groups, including universities.

sources: lrt.lt, 15min.lt, vz.lt, tv3.lt, delfi.lt, lrytas.lt

White House seeks massive 1.5 trillion USD defense budget as war with Iran continues

The Trump administration on April 3 rolled out its 2027 defense plan, lifting Pentagon spending to $1.5 trillion. The White House tied the jump to the U.S.-led war against Iran and a broader push to modernize the military, after setting 2026 defense funding at $901 billion. Congress now faces a politically fraught vote on whether to approve a huge increase on top of an earlier $200 billion wartime request.

Why it matters

The plan would add fresh pressure to a federal budget already under strain, with U.S. debt above $39 trillion. In Europe, it matters because a bigger U.S. wartime bill can reshuffle ammunition, air-defense and allied-support flows.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

U.S. fighter jet shot down over Iran, crew missing

On April 3, 2026, Iran’s air defences shot down a U.S. fighter jet over western Iran and the two-person crew went missing, triggering a search on the ground. The incident comes after weeks of sharp tension in the region, with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran met by Iranian drone and missile attacks on bases and infrastructure in neighbouring states. The key question now is whether the downing will stay isolated or open a new phase of direct confrontation over Iranian airspace.

Why it matters

Civilians and energy facilities across the region are already living under missile and drone threat, so another air combat episode raises the risk of strikes on bases, ports and oil infrastructure. For Europe, the concern is possible supply disruption through the Gulf and fresh pressure on fuel prices.

sources:delfi.lt 15min.lt vz.lt

Technology

First time since 1972: Artemis II leaves Earth's orbit and heads to the Moon

NASA’s Artemis II mission left Earth orbit on April 2 after a translunar injection burn and is now en route to the Moon with four astronauts aboard. The flight is expected to last about 10 days, and the crew is due to conduct a close lunar flyby on April 6, taking high-resolution photos and checking navigation and communications. It is the first crewed trip beyond Earth orbit since 1972 and the first piloted Artemis test before a planned lunar landing later in the programme.

Why it matters

The data from Artemis II will feed directly into the next Artemis flights, including the hardware and procedures needed for a lunar landing. It is also a live test of whether NASA can move from demonstration flights to a repeatable crewed Moon programme.

sources:lrt.lt