23 April 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Lithuania has secured US approval to buy additional AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles for its NASAMS air defence systems in a deal worth up to €183 million. Together with an earlier order, the military expects to field 168 missiles, and the package also includes training rounds plus engineering, technical and logistics support.

A Panevezys district court is deciding today whether to jail three suspects in the murder case of 31-year-old paramedic Mantas Sadauskas. Prosecutors are pursuing a line of inquiry that he was lured to a farmstead in Mileskunai by a fake call, unlawfully detained, killed, and that there was an attempt to hide and burn the body. The first suspect brought to court was 34-year-old Vilius Solkanas, and two of the three suspects have previous convictions. In a separate major case, a Vilnius regional court prosecutor over the past day asked for 12-year prison terms for Salcininkai district residents Slavomiras Kodzis and Viktoras Valickis in the especially brutal Samarakiškes murder case.

Klaipeda has begun using a new liver cancer treatment procedure over the past 48 hours, giving doctors a more precise and less traumatic option for patients. The method had previously been introduced at Kaunas Clinics, which said it was the first in the Baltics to use the therapy, and its rollout in Klaipeda expands advanced care in western Lithuania.

Lithuania’s State Security Department warned today that the actions of a Polish politician raise concerns about the country’s security. Police are also searching for two underage girls, Mileja and Austeja, who have been away from home for a day.

President Gitanas Nauseda, meeting Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Cyprus, urged faster talks on Ukraine's membership in the European Union. Vilnius authorities warned the city had been placed on a Russian target list and called it an intimidation attempt.

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

It becomes clear how a paramedic could have been killed

A court in Panevezys is ruling today on custody for three suspects in the killing of 31-year-old ambulance paramedic Mantas Sadauskas, whose body was found at a farmstead in Mileškūnai after a search lasting several days. Prosecutors say one line of inquiry is that he was lured there by a fake call, and investigators believe the body may have been hidden and an attempt made to burn it. The case is being probed as intentional murder, unlawful detention and illegal possession of firearms, and the court decision will determine whether the suspects are jailed ahead of trial.

Why it matters

The case raises the risk faced by ambulance crews if emergency calls are used as a lure. If the court orders custody, investigators will be able to keep pressing the case without the suspects interfering with witnesses or evidence.

sources:tv3.lt

Crime

With handcuffs to court: how the paramedic was killed and the identity of the first suspect

Panevėžys district court on April 23 is weighing pre-trial detention for three suspects in the killing of paramedic Mantas Sadauskas, with 34-year-old Vilius Solkanas brought in first. Prosecutors say the case covers unlawful detention, intentional homicide and illegal possession of firearms, and two of the three suspects have prior convictions. Police found Sadauskas’ body at a remote homestead after a search that lasted more than a day, while investigators say the crime may stem from personal disputes. The court’s detention ruling will shape how much leverage prosecutors have as the homicide probe moves forward.

Why it matters

For ambulance crews, the case puts staff safety under a sharper spotlight and turns a workplace killing into a criminal investigation with broader implications. A detention order would give investigators more room to trace the weapon, map relationships among the suspects and reconstruct exactly how the attack unfolded.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Lithuania buys additional Sidewinder missiles from the US for about 180 million euros

Lithuania has received US approval to buy additional AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles for its NASAMS air defence systems, with the package valued at up to $214 million, or about €183 million. The deal also covers training missiles and engineering, technical and logistics support. Together with an earlier order, Lithuania expects to have 168 missiles for use against drones, helicopters and aircraft.

Why it matters

Lithuania is adding ammunition to one of the core layers of its air defences, improving its ability to replenish stocks and protect critical infrastructure. The order also signals deeper US backing for NATO’s eastern flank at a time when air threats in the region remain a live concern.

sources:15min.lt lrt.lt

Health

Innovation in Klaipėda — modern procedure to treat liver cancer

Klaipėda has started using a new procedure to treat liver cancer over the past 48 hours, giving doctors a more precise option that is less traumatic for patients. A similar breakthrough was previously reported at Kaunas Clinics, which said it was the first in the Baltics to use the therapy. Bringing the method to Klaipėda widens access to advanced care in western Lithuania and reduces the need for patients to travel elsewhere.

Why it matters

Patients with liver cancer in western Lithuania can now get complex treatment closer to home. That means less travel, lower physical strain and a better chance to start targeted therapy sooner.

sources:lrytas.lt

Politics

Seimas – decisive vote on Kapčiamiesčio polygon

Seimas is due to give its final green light on Thursday to the Kapčiamiestis military training area in Lithuania’s Lazdijai district. The bill covers about 14,600 hectares and includes nearly 2,000 private plots, most of them forest land. Defence officials say the site is needed for training the national division and the German brigade stationed in Lithuania, which would set up land acquisition and compensation talks after the vote.

Why it matters

The vote affects owners of nearly 2,000 plots in Lazdijai district, because some land would need to change designation or be acquired by the state. For the military, it would unlock a larger training area for ground forces and allied troops in southern Lithuania.

sources:tv3.lt 15min.lt

Crime

Police to present investigation charging two Šalčininkai district residents with very serious crimes

A Vilnius regional court prosecutor has asked for 12-year prison terms for two residents of the Šalčininkai district, Slavomiras Kodžis and Viktoras Valickis, who are charged with especially brutal murder. The case stems from a May 2025 fire in the village of Samarakiškės, where investigators later found a burned body and opened a homicide probe. The court is now due to rule after closing arguments, with both men facing one of the gravest charges in Lithuanian criminal law.

Why it matters

For the victim’s family and the local community, the verdict will close nearly a year of proceedings. It will also determine how the court weighs the link between the fire and the death in one of the district’s most serious cases.

sources:delfi.lt

Europe

Summary

Russian drone strikes overnight killed four people across Ukraine, and the death toll in Dnipropetrovsk region rose to three. At least 10 people were injured there, including girls aged nine and 14. A separate strike on civilian transport infrastructure in Zhytomyr region killed one woman. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 155 drones and intercepted 139.

The EU on Thursday formally unlocked a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine in Cyprus and approved its 20th sanctions package against Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the money could reach Kyiv at the end of May or the start of June. The deal came after months of wrangling with Hungary, which had tied the package to a dispute over a damaged pipeline.

Ales Bialiatski said in Vilnius that negotiating with Alexander Lukashenko to end repression is impossible. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, released from prison only recently, said Belarus remains tied to Moscow and that more than 1,200 political prisoners are still being held. Lithuania’s navy chief Rear Admiral Giedrius Premeneckas said Russia’s Baltic Fleet has far less room to manoeuvre after Finland and Sweden joined NATO, with undersea infrastructure still the main vulnerability.

A planned visit to Vilnius by Polish MEP Grzegorz Braun has triggered calls to bar him from entering Lithuania. MEP Dainius Žalimas asked Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys to put Braun on the no-entry list, citing Holocaust denial, pro-Russian rhetoric and past violent acts.

Ukraine's military said its drones struck an FSB base in occupied Donetsk. Britain and France signed a three-year pact to curb illegal migrant flows. A U.S. House committee approved a proposal for a Baltic security act.

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

Promised, delivered, implemented: when exactly will Ukraine receive $90 billion

The EU on Thursday unlocked a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine in Cyprus and approved its 20th sanctions package against Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the cash could arrive in Kyiv at the end of May or the start of June 2026. The deal followed months of wrangling with Hungary, which had tied the package to a damaged pipeline dispute and frozen the process.

Why it matters

For Ukraine's military and defence industry, the package gives a clearer funding line for 2026-27, when Kyiv needs cash for air defence, ammunition and domestic production. For the EU, it lowers the risk that Hungary can again stall aid for Ukraine and fresh sanctions on Russia.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Contramdroid Premeneckas – about Russians in the Baltic Sea, threats and the 'NATO lake' ring

Lithuanian naval chief Rear Admiral Giedrius Premeneckas said on April 23 that Russia’s Baltic Sea fleet has far less room to manoeuvre after Finland and Sweden joined NATO. He said the alliance now has a denser chain of ports, sensors and patrol routes around the sea, which makes Russian military activity easier to track and harder to support. Premeneckas also flagged undersea infrastructure as a key vulnerability and said Lithuania and its allies must keep watch and be ready to respond fast to incidents.

Why it matters

For shipping, energy and telecom operators in the Baltic, it means tighter security and more military presence around cables, pipelines and ports. For NATO states, it gives more room to deter Russia and react faster to surveillance, sabotage attempts and air or sea provocations.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

Nobel laureate: negotiating with Lukashenko to end repressions is impossible

Ales Bialiatski said in Vilnius on Thursday that talks with Alexander Lukashenko to end repression and restore even basic democratic norms are impossible. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate made the comments soon after his release from prison, saying Lukashenko remains tied to Moscow’s sphere of influence and is eroding Belarusian independence. His warning lands as more than 1,200 political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus, underlining how little has shifted despite his release.

Why it matters

For political prisoners in Belarus and their families, the message is that the odds of a wider thaw or amnesty remain slim. It also matters to EU governments weighing sanctions, pressure tactics and any future contact with Minsk.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Kristupas Vaitiekūnas. EU eastern border security. What happens next?

Vilnius will host a conference on April 25 bringing together finance and economy ministers from the EU's eastern border states, along with European Commission officials and representatives of international financial institutions. Lithuanian Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitiekūnas says the aim is to line up measures that strengthen the border region's resilience and economy. The meeting comes after a push for more EU flexibility on defence and security spending, including from Lithuania.

Why it matters

Eastern EU states want border security funded not only through defence budgets but also through economic resilience measures. That could mean more money for infrastructure, border control and businesses in regions already hit by war risk and trade disruption.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

Four people killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine last night

Four people were killed in Russian drone strikes across several Ukrainian regions overnight into April 23, 2026. Three died in Dnipropetrovsk region, where at least 10 people were injured, including girls aged nine and 14. In Zhytomyr region, a drone hit civilian transport infrastructure and killed one woman, while Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 155 drones and 139 were intercepted.

Why it matters

Civilians in Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr regions now face more pressure on hospitals, rescue crews and local services after strikes hit homes and transport infrastructure. The attacks also force regional authorities to divert resources into repairs and emergency response, while keeping movement and transport under tighter strain.

sources:15min.lt delfi.lt

Politics

Scandalous Polish politicianvilnius not waiting: proposed to include on blacklist

Polish MEP Grzegorz Braun says he will travel to Vilnius on May 1-2, and Lithuanian MEP Dainius Žalimas has asked Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys to put him on Lithuania’s no-entry list. Žalimas cites Braun’s Holocaust denial, pro-Russian rhetoric and past acts of violence as grounds for a ban. The call now puts the foreign ministry and border authorities under pressure to decide whether Braun will be allowed into the country before the trip.

Why it matters

For Ukraine’s supporters and Lithuania’s Jewish community, the issue is whether the state draws a line against a politician linked to hate speech and Holocaust denial. A ban would also signal to other EU politicians that Vilnius is prepared to block figures seen as stoking hostility toward neighbours and minorities.

sources:15min.lt

World

Summary

Dnipro was hit by a Russian strike overnight, killing two people and wounding eight. Ukraine answered with drone attacks on fuel and energy sites in Samara, Nizhny Novgorod and occupied Crimea, and one person was killed in Novokuybyshevsk.

Washington today accused China of industrial-scale attempts to steal U.S. AI technology. The White House said evidence from several AI labs could support tighter security rules and fresh restrictions on Chinese labs. The U.S. also said Beijing pressured African states to block Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s trip to Eswatini. Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar withdrew overflight permits, halting the visit to Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa.

A tanker stranded for 54 days near the Strait of Hormuz remains the clearest sign that shipping is still paralysed by the U.S.-Iran war. Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri said supplies are running low, morale is fraying and his crew still cannot move safely in either direction. The U.S. Navy has intercepted at least three Iran-linked tankers in Asian waters since early April, but at least 34 such vessels have still crossed the blockade line. The supertanker Dorena reached waters off India within days of leaving Iran, and Tehran said today it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz while the U.S. blockade remains in place. Gas supply disruption from the conflict is also raising the risk of a broader global technology squeeze.

Israeli strikes in south Lebanon killed five people, including journalist Amal Khalil, and wounded one more. Beirut is seeking an extension of the ceasefire in Washington, and the U.S. Embassy today advised Americans to leave Lebanon. Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is set to face trial over crimes against humanity linked to his deadly anti-drug campaign.

Israel's defence minister said the country is waiting for U.S. approval to strike Iran in a way that would send it "back to the Stone Age." France told the United Nations it considers the death of a peacekeeper in Lebanon a war crime.

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

War in Ukraine. Two dead and eight wounded in Russian strikes on Ukraine

Two people were killed and eight wounded in a Russian strike on Dnipro overnight on April 23, regional officials said. The attack came as Ukraine launched drone strikes on Russian fuel and energy sites in Samara, Nizhny Novgorod and occupied Crimea, prompting one death in Novokuybyshevsk, according to Russian regional authorities. The wider exchange kept pressure on fuel infrastructure and briefly disrupted operations at more than 10 Russian airports.

Why it matters

Civilians in Dnipro face direct danger when strikes hit urban infrastructure and residential areas. Attacks on Russian fuel and energy sites can disrupt supply chains, transport and air travel, widening the war’s impact well beyond the front line.

sources:lrt.lt

Technology

FT: White House accuses China of industrial-scale AI tech thefts

On April 22 in Washington, the White House accused China of industrial-scale attempts to steal U.S. AI technology, citing evidence gathered by several AI labs. The claims come as Washington is already tightening export controls and other barriers aimed at slowing Chinese access to advanced models and computing know-how. The administration is now under pressure to harden AI security rules and intellectual-property safeguards, with fresh restrictions on Chinese labs a live possibility.

Why it matters

U.S. AI firms risk losing their edge if rivals can copy model capabilities faster and at lower cost than normal development allows. The dispute could also trigger tighter export controls that ripple through chips, cloud services and research links between the U.S. and China.

sources:vz.lt

Politics

US says China used intimidation to block Taiwanese leader's trip to Africa

On April 23, the U.S. State Department condemned China and said Beijing had pressured several African countries to withdraw overflight permits for Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s trip to Eswatini. Taipei said Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar canceled the permits, forcing the planned April 22-26 visit to Taiwan’s only African diplomatic ally onto hold. Lai’s last overseas trip was in November 2024, when he visited Pacific allies and transited through Guam. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and routinely pushes countries to curb official ties with Taipei.

Why it matters

Taipei’s room to maneuver in Africa is shrinking, with Eswatini now its only ally on the continent. If airlines and transit states keep yielding to Chinese pressure, Taiwan will find it harder to stage official visits and keep visible diplomatic ties abroad.

sources:15min.lt lrytas.lt lrt.lt

Politics

Five people, including a journalist, killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon as Beirut seeks ceasefire extension

Lebanon’s health ministry said five people, including journalist Amal Khalil, were killed in an Israeli air strike in the south on Wednesday, with one other person wounded. Israel said it hit people it accused of violating the truce and endangering its troops. The strike came as Beirut pressed ahead with talks in Washington on extending the ceasefire, while the war since the latest escalation has killed more than 2,300 people and displaced over 1 million, according to Lebanese figures.

Why it matters

For people in southern Lebanon, the ceasefire talks will decide whether they can return home and move safely near the border. The killing of a journalist also raises the risks for local media covering fighting in areas where troops and armed groups are still active.

sources:15min.lt lrt.lt delfi.lt

Politics

"We are not soldiers, we are stuck here": ship captain recounts 54 days in the Hormuz Strait.

Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri said on April 21 that his tanker had been stuck near the Strait of Hormuz for 54 days, unable to move safely in either direction. The disruption followed the U.S.-Iran war in the region, which shut shipping through the waterway and left some vessels waiting offshore for clearance. Crews say supplies are running down, morale is fraying and even routine work has become harder while they sit in limbo.

Why it matters

The fallout lands first on seafarers, whose pay depends on voyages that are now frozen, and on shipowners paying for idle days instead of cargo moves. When Hormuz seizes up, oil and other freight heading to Asia and Europe is delayed, pushing up shipping costs and squeezing supply chains.

sources:delfi.lt

Energy

Iranian oil tankers outsmart the U.S.: finding ways to bypass the blockade

The U.S. Navy has intercepted at least three Iran-linked tankers in Asian waters since early April, but other vessels are still slipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to ship-tracking data cited by financial media. One of them, the Iranian-flagged supertanker Dorena, left Iranian waters on April 17 and was already off India two days later, while trackers say at least 34 Iran-linked tankers have crossed the U.S. blockade line. Tehran is leaning on a shadow fleet, ship-to-ship transfers and route masking to keep crude moving, turning the standoff into a direct test of maritime enforcement.

Why it matters

For Europe’s oil market, the risk is higher freight and insurance costs on routes through the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, where every intercepted vessel can ripple into prices. If Washington and Tehran keep trying to police the sea lane by force, some crude flows may be pushed onto longer, costlier routes to Asia and the Mediterranean.

sources:15min.lt