15 May 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Vilnius University professor Tomas Janeliūnas said today that Lithuania could be politically captured without a war. He said about a third of the public is inclined to believe conspiracy theories and roughly 400,000 voters could back anti-establishment candidates. Janeliūnas linked weak mainstream parties and fragile trust in government to the risk of a radical turn in the next election cycle.

In defence debate, Arvydas Pocius argued yesterday that Lithuania should make a drone barrier a core national objective. His model would combine reconnaissance drones, strike drones, air defence and artificial intelligence, with the next decisions centred on funding and deployment speed. President Gitanas Nausėda said today that Lithuania still has unfinished homework on air defence. He also said the country’s air space is a sacred security matter.

Gediminas Linkevičius said today that Vladimir Putin is a coward after Russia’s overnight missile and drone strike on Kyiv. At least 24 people, including three children, were killed in the attack. After a meeting with the US ambassador, Lithuania’s defence minister said today that Washington’s security commitments to Lithuania remain firm. Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys delivered the same message today after talks with US officials.

In Vilnius, the Freedom Party held a rally outside the government building today in support of legal recognition for same-sex couples on International Family Day. Vilnius chief architect Laura Kairienė said today the city will have to give up some street space to buses and possible tram lines as car use keeps rising. Israeli media said today that Hamas circulated footage showing the body of a 28-year-old athlete killed in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, and her family is demanding the return of her remains.

A 25-year-old man was killed in Kaunas after trying to defend a stranger. In a Lithuanian resort, one body was recovered from the water and four people remain missing.

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

Arvydas Pocius: Drone border should become Lithuania’s defense objective

Arvydas Pocius argued in a 15min opinion piece published yesterday that Lithuania should make a drone barrier a core defence objective. The idea builds on earlier conservative proposals for an integrated system combining reconnaissance drones, strike drones, air defence and artificial intelligence. The next fight is over execution: what equipment Lithuania can buy, how fast it can field it and how much money the state is ready to commit.

Why it matters

For defence planners, the debate shifts from buying isolated counter-drone kit to funding a full detect-track-neutralise chain. That would affect border protection, air-defence priorities and how the defence budget is split.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Linkevičius after Russian attacks in Ukraine: Putin is a coward who can only kill civilians

At least 24 people, including three children, were killed in Kyiv in a Russian overnight missile and drone attack on May 15, as rescue teams revised an earlier toll of 21 dead. The strike landed as Moscow again floated talk of an end to the war, sharpening the divide between its words and its conduct. Lithuanian politician Gediminas Linkevičius branded Vladimir Putin a coward who kills only civilians, putting fresh public pressure on the West to answer attacks on cities, not just the battlefield.

Why it matters

For Kyiv residents, the attack means another night of deaths in residential districts and rescuers still counting the toll after the sirens stop. For European capitals, the casualty figures add pressure to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and treat Kremlin talk of peace with far more scepticism.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Professor warns about Lithuania’s survival: paradoxes are simply stunning.

At a public event in Vilnius on January 17, Vilnius University professor Tomas Janeliūnas laid out two scenarios in which Lithuania could be politically captured without a war. He pointed to a survey showing about a third of the public is inclined to believe conspiracy theories and said roughly 400,000 voters could back anti-establishment candidates. Janeliūnas argued that weak mainstream parties and fragile trust in government could open the door to a radical turn in the next election cycle.

Why it matters

It affects voters whose choices could determine both the makeup of the government and the country’s foreign policy line. If anti-establishment forces gain leverage, they could obstruct decisions on defence, sanctions on Russia and long-term commitments to allies.

sources:lrytas.lt

Crime

The murder of a 28-year-old athlete shook everyone: the mother only recognized the body from tattoos

Israeli media said Hamas circulated footage showing the body of a 28-year-old Israeli woman taken into Gaza, and her husband said he identified her only by tattoos and long dreadlocks. She was killed in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, when about 260 people were killed and roughly 100 others were taken hostage into Gaza. Her family is demanding the return of the body as Israeli officials and mediators keep working on hostage and remains recovery talks.

Why it matters

It feeds directly into the unresolved hostage-and-remains file, one of the most sensitive parts of the Gaza talks. Each identification like this adds pressure on negotiators to secure body returns and account for the missing.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Chief city architect: we must sacrifice streets for public transport

In an interview published on May 15, 2026, Vilnius chief architect Laura Kairienė said the city must give up part of its street space to buses and possibly tram lines. She tied the push to new city architecture quality guidelines and said car use is still rising as new residents move in with cars and keep the same commuting habits. For now, she said, a metro is not on the table, so the city needs to decide what kind of transport network it wants and move accordingly.

Why it matters

Drivers and public transport riders in Vilnius will feel the change first. More bus lanes, and possibly tram corridors, would speed up transit but leave less road space for cars on the city’s main streets.

sources:lrt.lt

Society

Freedom Party hosts same-sex couple support rally at the government

On May 15, the Freedom Party staged a support action outside the government building in Vilnius for same-sex couples seeking legal recognition. The rally was tied to International Family Day and aimed to keep pressure on lawmakers after the Constitutional Court found the current framework for partner recognition inadequate. With the civil union bill still stuck in parliament this spring, the party is trying to keep the issue on the government’s agenda and force a decision from ministers and MPs.

Why it matters

For same-sex couples, the event keeps the push for partnership rights visible just as lawmakers return to the issue. The outcome affects practical protections tied to property, inheritance and medical decisions if one partner cannot act for the other.

sources:15min.lt

Europe

Summary

Kyiv was hit overnight by a major Russian drone-and-missile barrage that killed at least 24 people, including three children. Rescue teams recovered at least seven bodies from the rubble of a destroyed Soviet-era apartment block, and search and debris-clearing operations were still continuing on Thursday. Ukrainian officials said residential buildings were among the sites struck and that the attack set off multiple fires across several districts of the capital. Moscow said it had targeted military and energy facilities, but civilian buildings were among the damaged sites. Kyiv declared a day of mourning after one of the biggest attacks on the capital this week. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said a residential building in Kyiv had been hit by a new variant of the Kh-101 missile.

Russia also said four people were killed in a city near Moscow by Ukrainian strikes. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in The Hague that a special tribunal on the crime of aggression had issued “tickets to The Hague” for Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko and other Russian and Belarusian leaders. The tribunal is meant to pursue the crime of aggression through a separate legal route because the International Criminal Court cannot fully do so under its current jurisdiction.

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday defended Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal after he waved a Palestinian flag during the club’s title parade. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz accused the 17-year-old of inciting hatred, while coach Hansi Flick said he did not like the gesture.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia could use Belarus to launch attacks on Ukraine or a NATO country. At the same time, Russia’s economy contracted for the first time in three years, marking a new economic cost for Moscow from the war.

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

Brutal Russian attack on Kyiv leaves dozens dead; chaotic rescue scenes

Russia hit Kyiv for several hours on May 14 with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, killing at least 12 people, including two children, in a strike on a residential block. Ukrainian officials said the barrage sparked multiple fires across the capital, while rescue crews searched collapsed structures and moved residents out of damaged neighbourhoods. Moscow said it was targeting military and energy sites, but civilian homes were among the buildings hit.

Why it matters

For Kyiv residents, the strike means another hit on apartment blocks where many people shelter during air raids. It also forces the city to keep more rescue crews, medics and backup power on standby, because one barrage can damage homes, heating and communications at the same time.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Russia strikes Kyiv, at least 21 killed and hopes for peace dashed

At least 21 people, including three children, were killed in a Russian strike on Kyiv overnight on May 14, Ukraine's emergency service said. Rescue teams pulled seven bodies from the rubble of a destroyed apartment block, and the death toll rose through the day from an earlier count of 16. The attack landed as Donald Trump had revived talk of peace efforts, raising hopes that were already fragile. Ukrainian officials said rescue work and debris clearance were continuing after the strike hit residential buildings.

Why it matters

For Kyiv residents, the strike shows that apartment blocks remain front-line targets, not just the battlefield. More deaths and destruction in the capital mean greater pressure on Ukraine's air defences, rescue services and temporary housing capacity.

sources:delfi.lt 15min.lt

Politics

Ukraine War. ‘Everything burned. People screaming’: reports of casualties from massive Russian attack

A Russian strike on Kyiv overnight on May 14 killed 24 people, including three children, Ukrainian emergency services said, as rescuers searched a collapsed Soviet-era apartment block. Witnesses described fires and people trapped under rubble after one of the biggest attacks on the capital this week. Cleanup and rescue work are still under way, and local officials are updating the toll as more bodies are recovered.

Why it matters

For Kyiv residents, the toll means more pressure on already damaged housing blocks, with rescuers still checking for people under the rubble. Each rise in the death count forces the city to divert more crews to evacuation, medical care and the return of residents to affected districts.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Russia loses 1,150 troops in Ukraine in the past day

Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez said on May 15 that Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal made the country proud after waving a Palestinian flag during the club's title parade in Barcelona on May 11. The gesture drew a sharp rebuke from Israeli defence minister Israel Katz, who accused the teenager of inciting hatred, while Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said he did not like the move. The row came during Barca's La Liga celebrations in streets packed with an estimated 750,000 fans.

Why it matters

The dispute drags the Gaza war into one of Europe's most visible sporting stages. It could shape how clubs and players handle political expression, since even a single flag can trigger diplomatic backlash.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Sybiha on the Special Tribunal: Putin, Lukashenko and others got tickets to The Hague

At a launch event in The Hague on Thursday, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko and other senior officials had already received their “tickets to The Hague.” The tribunal is designed to investigate the crime of aggression, a case the International Criminal Court cannot fully pursue because of jurisdiction limits, so European institutions and partners have built a separate legal path. Kyiv expects the new mechanism to gather charges against top decision-makers and prepare case files for future proceedings.

Why it matters

For Ukrainians, the tribunal creates a long-run legal track against Russian and Belarusian leaders, not just a political statement. If it advances, more states will have to share evidence, money and legal support for any eventual indictments.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

G. Nausėda: Lithuania rapidly becoming a major European defense industry hub

Gitanas Nauseda said on May 15 in Vilnius that Lithuania is rapidly turning into one of Europe’s key defence industry hubs. The comment came alongside a defence and security conference that has drawn about 2,000 participants from 30 countries and produced four memorandums this week. The next test is whether those talks turn into plant openings, joint ventures and export contracts, with Finland and Ukraine among the main partners in view.

Why it matters

Lithuanian defence firms stand to gain more orders, more foreign partners and a clearer route into Western supply chains. If the memorandums become contracts, the gains should flow into skilled jobs and higher tax revenue through bigger output and exports.

sources:lrytas.lt tv3.lt lrt.lt

World

Summary

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates struck targets inside Iran on May 13, responding to earlier attacks on their own territory. U.S. officials said the UAE sorties were coordinated with Israel, as military action ran alongside a diplomatic push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump said in Beijing yesterday that Xi Jinping had offered to help end the war with Iran and restore shipping through Hormuz. The White House said both leaders agreed traffic must resume through the waterway, which normally carries about a fifth of global oil and gas cargoes.

Iran has heavily restricted movement through Hormuz since Feb. 28, prompting Washington to press Beijing to use its leverage over Tehran. China also called over the past day for shipping lanes to reopen and for ceasefires across the Middle East. Trump is also considering easing sanctions on Chinese firms that buy Iranian oil. He said tariffs were not discussed in his meeting with Xi, while stock markets rallied after the talks.

The World Health Organization said today that a new Ebola outbreak has been declared in the Bulape health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The agency reported 10 cases and 3 deaths, making it the country’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since 1976. Health teams are tracing contacts, isolating patients and testing samples.

In India, storms and lightning killed at least 111 people across eastern and central states over the past day. Bihar and nearby states were hit hardest by sudden downpours, collapses and flash flooding. State authorities have started compensation payouts and issued fresh warnings as more heavy rain is forecast.

Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel now controls about 60% of the Gaza Strip. Israel also struck a target in Gaza that it said was linked to a Hamas leader, and three people were reported killed. The US said the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire has been extended by 45 days.

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

Media: Saudi Arabia and UAE carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran

U.S. officials said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates separately carried out strikes inside Iran on May 13, retaliating for earlier attacks on their own territory. The action came against the backdrop of the wider Iran-Israel-U.S. war, which had already spilled across the Gulf. According to the officials, the UAE sorties were coordinated with Israel, and the strikes may feed into a new back-channel understanding to slow the escalation.

Why it matters

The strikes pull two of Washington’s closest Arab partners deeper into the conflict and raise the risk of a wider Gulf war. Any sustained exchange would threaten oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, shipping lanes and regional aviation.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

Will the US abandon NATO? Stubbas explains signs he sees

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said in Vilnius on May 15 that the US is not planning to quit NATO and that talk of an alliance collapse does not match the signals he sees. His comments came after fresh debate over US force movements in Europe and after NATO's top commander in Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, again said Washington remains committed to Lithuania's defence. Stubb said the real test is not rhetoric but military capability, with upcoming decisions set to show how burdens are split between the US and Europe.

Why it matters

For the Baltic states and Poland, the US footprint underpins air defence, deterrence and reinforcement plans. Any review of troop posture would force European allies to fill gaps faster with their own forces and infrastructure.

sources:tv3.lt

Health

New Ebola virus outbreak in Africa: hundreds infected, 65 dead

The WHO said on May 15 that a new Ebola outbreak has been declared in Bulape health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 10 cases and 3 deaths reported so far. It is the country’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was identified in 1976. Health teams are tracing contacts, isolating patients and testing samples, and the agency says more cases could still emerge in the coming days.

Why it matters

For people in and around Bulape, the outbreak means contact tracing, isolation and tighter movement controls as health workers try to cut transmission chains. If cases rise, the response will quickly require more treatment beds, protective gear and outside support.

sources:delfi.lt lrytas.lt

Environment

Death toll from storms in India rises to 111

At least 111 people were killed in storms and lightning strikes across eastern and central India over the past day. Bihar and nearby states bore the brunt of the severe weather, which brought sudden downpours, collapses and flash flooding. State authorities have begun compensation payouts and are issuing fresh warnings as more heavy rain is forecast.

Why it matters

Rural communities and outdoor workers are the most exposed, because lightning and sudden downpours can hit before they can get shelter. Compensation helps families cover immediate costs, but the next few hours remain risky if the storms shift into more densely populated areas.

sources:delfi.lt

Economy

Compensa Vienna Insurance Group reports record 2025 results: 9.7% revenue growth, higher profitability, advanced innovations for clients

Compensa Vienna Insurance Group said on April 7, 2026 that its Baltic revenue hit a record in 2025, rising 9.7 per cent, while pre-tax profit climbed to 13.48 million euros. The insurer also said it moved into the top three non-life players in the Baltic market and held an 11.4 per cent share in Lithuania. At year-end, the group renewed its ISO 14001:2015 environmental management certification and continued broadening its service network and product range.

Why it matters

For customers, stronger results usually mean a wider service network and more room for product development. Higher profitability also gives the insurer more scope to price risk competitively and invest in digital services.

sources:vz.lt

Politics

Iran war: Trump received China’s offer to help resolve the Iran issue

Donald Trump said in Beijing on May 14 that Xi Jinping had offered to help resolve the war with Iran and keep traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz. The White House later said the two leaders agreed the waterway must stay open, as Washington presses Beijing to use its leverage over Tehran. The dispute matters because Iran has largely throttled shipping through the strait since Feb. 28, through which about a fifth of global oil and gas cargoes normally pass. The next test is whether China turns its offer into concrete pressure, or whether Trump keeps the military option on the table.

Why it matters

Oil and LNG markets hinge on whether tankers can move through Hormuz again. If Beijing turns its offer into pressure on Tehran, it could ease supply disruptions and reduce fuel-price shocks in Europe.

sources:delfi.lt