9 April 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Lithuania’s parliament on April 9 began the process of stripping Saulius Skvernelis of legal immunity after Prosecutor-General Nida Grunskienė asked lawmakers to let investigators advance a criminal case tied to municipal expenses. Speaker Juozas Olekas put the request on Thursday’s agenda, with the next steps running through committees before a plenary vote.

Parliament changed pension allocation rules and raised fines for managers who withhold information from journalists. The government has proposed new assisted reproduction rules that would reshape how procedures are regulated and accessed in Lithuania. NATO has assessed Lithuania’s armed forces expansion plans, dairy producers protested near the government, and a furniture manufacturer has started laying off nearly 200 workers.

A Vilnius regional court on April 8 sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for rigging a neighbour’s gate with a homemade explosive device, though the ruling can still be appealed. Prosecutors opened a pre-trial investigation into activity against the state after a coordinated social-media disinformation campaign and are tracing possible links to Russian information operations. In Klaipėda, scammers stripped 14,000 euros from a resident within minutes, while Inga Sala spoke publicly in the child kidnapping case that shocked Lithuania.

In energy, Litgrid’s new chief said Lithuania’s grid must make room for two to three times more solar and wind capacity. Ignalina nuclear plant completed dismantling the first unit’s reactor channels and received permission to dismantle the second, while the Drūkšiai pumped storage project linked to Ignalina infrastructure has been completed.

Lithuania’s Prosecutor General asked parliament to lift Saulius Skvernelis’ legal immunity over suspicions of possible bribery, and the politician suspended his party membership. In business, Vinted topped €1bn in annual revenue last year.

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

Neighbour's gate mined by Vilnius man sentenced to long imprisonment – 10 years

A Vilnius regional court on April 8, 2026, sentenced a Vilnius man to 10 years in prison over allegations that he rigged a neighbour’s gate with explosives. The case centred on a homemade explosive device placed at a private entrance in Vilnius, and the court also dealt with the victim’s property damage claim. The verdict can still be appealed, so the sentence is not yet final.

Why it matters

The sentence signals that explosive attacks around homes are being treated as among the most serious crimes, and it keeps the option open for the victim to pursue compensation. An appeal will decide whether the 10-year term stands or the case is reheard.

sources:lrytas.lt

Politics

Prosecutor's Office opens probe into aid to Russia against Lithuania

Lithuania’s prosecutors have opened a pre-trial probe into activity against the state after detecting coordinated disinformation spread through social media. Investigators suspect parts of the campaign may be tied to Russian information operations, according to the latest clues in the case. They are now tracing accounts, funding and possible links to foreign structures before deciding whether to bring charges under the criminal code.

Why it matters

The probe targets the channels through which false claims reach Lithuanian users online, including stories about security and public order. If investigators confirm an organised foreign influence network, it could trigger searches, asset freezes and criminal cases against people operating inside Lithuania.

sources:tv3.lt

Society

Fire-survivor Bieliauskas family: we only wanted it not to become a tragedy for the children

Kretinga’s Žygimantas and Vaidilė Bieliauskas lost their home in a fire, with their story published by LRT on April 9, 2026. They managed to smell smoke in time and get their three small children out, so the family survived even though the house burned down. They are now living temporarily while working out how to rebuild and support the children after the fire.

Why it matters

Families in this position often lose more than a home. Local authorities, relatives and aid groups then have to arrange temporary housing and immediate support for children who have just been pulled out of a fire.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

Bad news for S. Skvernelis – the prosecutor-general asks to revoke his legal immunity

On April 9, 2026, Prosecutor-General Nida Grunskienė asked parliament to lift Saulius Skvernelis’s immunity so investigators can continue a criminal probe involving him. The move follows a series of similar requests targeting lawmakers in Lithuania’s widening municipal-expenses cases, including MPs Eugenijus Sabutis, Tomas Martinaitis and Arūnas Dudėnas. If parliament agrees, prosecutors can formalise charges and move the case into the next stage.

Why it matters

Parliament’s vote will determine whether prosecutors can bring formal suspicion against an MP and keep the investigation moving without political cover. The decision could also shape the pace of Lithuania’s municipal-expenses cases, which have already ensnared several sitting or former politicians.

sources:lrytas.lt

Politics

Olekas: Immunity removal for Skvernelis on Tuesday's agenda

Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas said on April 8 that the prosecutor general’s request to strip Saulius Skvernelis of immunity was put on the agenda for the April 9 sitting. Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė has tied the move to a pre-trial investigation, as parliament has already handled immunity cases involving other lawmakers in recent months. If the process moves ahead, committees will take it first and the final call will go to a floor vote.

Why it matters

Skvernelis leads the Democrats “For Lithuania,” so the move could ripple through parliamentary scheduling and coalition ties. If immunity is removed, prosecutors would be able to press ahead against an opposition leader without Seimas protection.

sources:delfi.lt

Health

Neuroscientist Emilė Radytė on shocking truth: medical research for decades was designed for men

On April 9, 2026, Lithuanian media again highlighted neuroscientist Emilė Radytė’s warning that medical research was built around male bodies for decades. Radytė has previously argued that women’s health was pushed to the margins, and that gap helped inspire her work on a brain-stimulation device for menstrual pain. The renewed attention comes as the medical field keeps debating whether drug trials and treatment protocols still undercount women and their hormonal differences.

Why it matters

For patients, it means some drugs and treatment plans may still be calibrated to male physiology rather than women’s bodies. For drugmakers and doctors, that leaves gaps in dosing, side effects and efficacy data that can change care in practice.

sources:delfi.lt

Europe

Summary

Odesa region came under another Russian strike on April 9, with Ukrainian officials saying an energy facility was hit after several Black Sea attacks in recent days. An earlier strike in the same region killed three people and cut power to thousands.

Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia lost 1,240 troops in the past 24 hours, pushing Moscow’s total losses since the full-scale invasion above 800,000. Kyiv also said Russia launched nearly 100 drones overnight, 69 of which were intercepted, while some strikes hit the Donetsk region. In Russia’s Krasnodar region, a drone attack triggered explosions and a fire, and Ukrainian forces separately said they destroyed a Russian-controlled bridge with drones. Officials in southern Ukraine said one person was killed in a new Russian strike. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Vladimir Putin wants more than Donbas and named two other Ukrainian regions in his assessment of Moscow’s war aims.

Poland and the Baltic states are again pressing the EU this week to speed up air-defence and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine after the latest attacks in the south. Fire Point chief executive Yaroslav Azhnyuk said a Ukrainian drone-and-sensor system costing less than one destroyer could block shipping across the Baltic Sea. In Russia, authorities are weighing a ban on the human rights group Memorial. Border residents in Russian regions are also receiving calls from abroad in what officials describe as a revival of older pressure tactics.

Brussels is preparing to cut its 2026 growth forecast, blaming weak industrial demand, sluggish consumer spending and still-elevated prices across the euro zone. The EU is also facing fresh pressure in trade talks with Washington as tougher U.S. demands threaten future deals. Estonia, meanwhile, listed 23 planned industrial sites designed to attract more than 320 million euros in investment.

Vladimir Putin declared an Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, while Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv expects €90bn in EU aid this year. US media also reported that Donald Trump is considering reducing the number of American troops in Europe.

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

Putin desires much more than Donbas: Zelenskiy names two more Ukrainian regions

On April 9, 2026, Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Vladimir Putin wants more than Donbas, naming two additional Ukrainian regions in his assessment of Moscow's war aims. He framed the push as an attempt to extract more territory than Russian forces now hold. That leaves Kyiv still rejecting land swaps and keeps the focus on security guarantees and the front line in any talks.

Why it matters

Civilians in occupied areas and along the front face a higher risk if talks drift toward border changes on Moscow's terms. It also strengthens the case that any ceasefire without firm security guarantees could simply buy time for another Russian offensive.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Ukrainian army destroyed over 1,000 Russian soldiers in the last 24 hours

Ukraine’s General Staff said on April 9 that Russian forces lost 1,240 troops in the previous 24 hours, as fighting flared across several sectors of the front. The same report said Russia launched nearly 100 drones overnight, 69 of which were intercepted, while some strikes hit the Donetsk region. Kyiv says Russia has now lost more than 800,000 troops since the full-scale invasion began, as Moscow keeps pressing its assault on the eastern front.

Why it matters

Civilian communities in eastern Ukraine remain under constant air and artillery threat. Higher Russian losses make it harder for Moscow to sustain rapid breakthroughs in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia sectors.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Ukrainian defense unicorn leader: at a lower than one destroyer price you can block the entire Baltic Sea

Fire Point chief executive Yaroslav Azhnyuk said on April 9 that a defence system costing less than one frigate could disrupt shipping across the Baltic Sea. He was pointing to Ukrainian-built drones and other low-cost systems that can stretch strike and surveillance reach without fleet-scale spending. The pitch lands as Europe reassesses how to defend sea lanes and undersea infrastructure on tighter budgets.

Why it matters

For Baltic coastal states, the appeal is cheaper protection against sabotage and reconnaissance aimed at cables, ports and energy links. Wider adoption would let planners shift money toward air defence and ammunition rather than expensive ships.

sources:vz.lt

Energy

War in Ukraine. Russian forces attack energy facility in Odessa region

Russian forces hit an energy facility in Ukraine's Odesa region on April 9, 2026. The strike follows a string of attacks on the Black Sea region in recent days, including one that killed three people and cut power to thousands. Kyiv says Moscow is targeting both grid assets and civilian sites, forcing repair crews to work under repeated fire.

Why it matters

For residents in Odesa region, the strike means fresh power disruptions and longer repair times after earlier damage to the grid. Hitting energy assets also complicates port and industrial activity in southern Ukraine, where electricity is essential for households and logistics.

sources:lrt.lt

Economy

EC warns of stagflation and plans to cut economic growth forecast

The European Commission is preparing to trim its 2026 growth outlook in a spring forecast released in Brussels on April 9. Officials blame weak industrial demand, sluggish consumer spending and still-elevated prices that are squeezing household budgets. The update is also expected to show that some big euro zone economies could remain near stagnation even as inflation stays above earlier hopes.

Why it matters

A weaker forecast would make it harder for the ECB to justify a fast pace of rate cuts, keeping borrowing costs higher for longer. For exporters, slower growth in the bloc’s biggest markets usually means fewer orders and thinner margins.

sources:vz.lt

Politics

North Korea conducted weapons tests for three days

North Korea said its latest weapons tests ran for three days from April 7 to 9 and included missiles with cluster-bomb warheads, air defence systems, electromagnetic weapons and carbon-fibre bombs. South Korea’s military said it had already detected multiple missile launches from the North’s east coast on April 8, the second launch activity in two days. The timing points to another push by Kim Jong Un to showcase a wider weapons mix, while Seoul and its allies assess whether more launches are coming.

Why it matters

For South Korea’s military, it means another round of heightened surveillance and readiness along the east coast. For Japan and the U.S., it raises pressure to tighten missile defence coordination and prepare for more launches.

sources:15min.lt

World

Summary

Hezbollah said on April 9 it had fired rockets at northern Israel and would keep attacking until Israel stops striking Lebanese territory. Israel had just launched its biggest coordinated assault in Lebanon since the war began, hitting more than 100 Hezbollah targets in Beirut, south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in 10 minutes, and Benjamin Netanyahu said operations would continue wherever needed.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Israel’s strikes pose a major risk to the U.S.-Iran truce. Iran said ships seeking to pass through the Strait of Hormuz must obtain permission and announced alternative routes through the chokepoint that carries a large share of global oil flows. U.S. oil exports have climbed to record highs as the war with Iran reshapes energy markets. In Tehran, thousands attended a state funeral for Revolutionary Guard commanders and nuclear scientists killed in Israeli strikes, but Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei did not appear at the ceremony.

Donald Trump on April 8 again attacked NATO after meeting Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Washington and renewed threats over Greenland. The United States, Denmark and Greenland are already negotiating Arctic security, military access and the 1951 defence pact, while the White House said Trump will continue talks with the Israeli prime minister on Lebanon. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said NATO should seriously discuss help for the United States in the Strait of Hormuz if Washington makes a specific request. The White House also proposed cutting NASA’s science budget for fiscal 2027 from $7.25 billion to $3.9 billion, though Congress has the final say.

The United Nations said at least 326 humanitarian aid workers were killed in 21 countries in 2025. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said in New York on April 8 that the three-year toll has now passed 1,010, with Gaza, Sudan and South Sudan accounting for much of the violence. North Korea conducted weapons tests for three days.

Lebanon’s health ministry said more than 300 people were killed in Israeli strikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his cabinet to begin a process for direct talks with Lebanon, but a Hezbollah lawmaker said the group rejects any such negotiations.

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

Hezbollah: attacks on Israel will continue

On April 9, 2026, Hezbollah claimed a rocket attack on northern Israel and said strikes would continue until Israel stops hitting Lebanese territory. The statement came after the Israeli military carried out what it called its largest coordinated strike in Lebanon since the war began, hitting more than 100 Hezbollah targets in Beirut, south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in 10 minutes. Israel has said the ceasefire with Iran does not cover Lebanon, leaving no clear off-ramp for the fighting.

Why it matters

For people in south Lebanon, the renewed strikes mean more displacement and a deeper disruption to daily life near the border. In northern Israel, the rocket threat keeps schools, businesses and transport under pressure and raises the risk of a wider regional spillover.

sources:delfi.lt

Society

UN: Worldwide, 326 humanitarian aid workers died last year

Tom Fletcher said in New York on April 8 that at least 326 humanitarian workers were killed in 21 countries in 2025. The UN said the three-year toll has now climbed above 1,010, with Gaza, Sudan and South Sudan driving much of the violence. The agency wants stronger protection for aid staff and accountability for attacks on them.

Why it matters

Medics, logisticians and local volunteers in conflict zones are becoming harder to deploy, which slows aid into besieged towns and camps. Civilians who depend on them for food, water, vaccines and evacuations are the immediate losers.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Minister: dialogue on U.S. war with Iran existed; no signs of troop withdrawal

Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said on April 8 that NATO should seriously discuss help for the United States in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to restrict shipping in the region following U.S. and Israeli strikes. He said Lithuania has no direct military obligations in this scenario and would only act if Washington made a specific request. Budrys also said he sees no sign that U.S. troops will be pulled out of Lithuania, with the focus now on alliance coordination rather than force posture.

Why it matters

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of global oil shipments, so any deeper disruption can feed into fuel costs and broader inflation in Europe. For Lithuania, the bigger issue is the signal it sends about U.S. force posture and alliance guarantees on NATO’s eastern flank.

sources:15min.lt

Technology

Trumpas proposes cutting NASA science budget by more than $3 billion

The White House on April 8, 2026 unveiled Donald Trump’s proposed NASA budget for fiscal 2027. It would cut the agency’s science directorate from $7.25 billion to $3.9 billion, a 47% hit that would reach planetary, Earth, astrophysics and heliophysics work. Congress still has the final say, and lawmakers have already rejected similar NASA cuts in the previous budget cycle.

Why it matters

NASA’s science portfolio feeds climate data, solar-weather monitoring and deep-space research used by universities, contractors and federal agencies. A cut of this size would delay or end projects that already have hardware in space or teams built around them.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

Funeral ceremony held in Tehran for the slain Khamenei

Thousands gathered in Tehran on Saturday for a state funeral for senior Revolutionary Guard commanders and nuclear scientists killed in Israeli strikes. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was not seen at the event, which took place in Revolution Square amid chants against the United States and Israel. The ceremony followed 12 days of war that wiped out part of Iran's military and scientific leadership, and Tehran is now trying to project steadiness after the losses.

Why it matters

The mourning turned into a public show of strength at home and a message to Israel and the U.S. Tehran now has to fill key military and nuclear posts fast, because those losses directly affect security decisions and any retaliation.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Trump criticized NATO after meeting with Rutte, renewed threats to Greenland

On April 8, 2026, in Washington, Donald Trump again blasted NATO after a closed-door meeting with Secretary-General Mark Rutte and renewed threats over Greenland. The meeting came after months of disputes over the Arctic island, with Washington, Copenhagen and Greenland already negotiating security, military access and the 1951 defence pact. Trump's remarks suggest the Greenland talks and wider debate over the US role in the Arctic are still live, forcing NATO allies back into damage-control mode.

Why it matters

For Denmark and Greenland, Arctic security remains tied to Trump's domestic political pressure and his push to reshape the US role there. For NATO allies, the episode keeps uncertainty alive over collective defence in the Arctic and how far Washington may go in public pressure on partners.

sources:vz.lt