22 May 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Lithuania’s Prosecutor General’s Office opened a pre-trial investigation today after more than 600,000 registry records may have been copied in an illegal breach of state information systems. The suspected targets were the Real Estate Register and the Register of Legal Entities, the initial damage estimate is at least €111,000, and some access attempts came from abroad and through other institutions’ systems. Access has been restricted, accounts blocked, and Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has called for Registrų centras chief Adrijus Jusas to resign.

In the Šalčininkai contraband probe, the number of detained police and border officers has risen to 13, while the case now spans 49 suspects and €4.2mn in seized assets. Over the past day, investigators said 27 people have been detained in total, with nearly half of them officers linked to cigarette smuggling by balloon. Ruginienė said the suspects abused their positions and passed on inside information, and the government will review internal controls at the Interior Ministry.

Police today recorded violence against a minor in Panevėžys district and a separate abuse case involving a juvenile in Radviliškis. In central Kaunas, a 90 sq. metre older property was converted into three rental flats, roughly doubling its value. The Lithuanian Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired said yesterday that intercity bus travel remains difficult for disabled passengers because journeys still have to be booked in advance. Cultural coverage also kept focus on the 1993 Vilijampolė restaurant shooting in Kaunas, in which five members of the Daktarai gang, including Henrikas Daktaras, were killed.

The European Central Bank approved SEB’s plan to merge its Baltic banks. In Lithuania, prosecutors opened a pre-trial investigation into the alleged use of leaked Real Estate Register data after a breach involving more than 600,000 records.

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

Four killed on the spot, one in hospital: how killers stormed the 'Doctors' restaurant in Vilijampolė

On Oct. 7, 1993, five members of the Kaunas 'Daktarai' gang were shot dead in the Vilijampolė restaurant Vilija, including Henrikas Daktaras. The men had gathered for a pre-arranged meeting in the restaurant’s back offices when the gunmen opened fire. Several others survived by playing dead or fleeing. The case remains one of Lithuania’s most notorious and least fully explained organized-crime killings, which is why it still resurfaces in archival and forensic retellings.

Why it matters

The case still matters to Kaunas’s criminal history and to police archives. It shapes how Lithuanians understand the gang wars of the 1990s and why some organized-crime killings still generate more questions than answers.

sources:tv3.lt

Crime

Prosecution started a probe: over 600,000 records copied illegally from the Register of Legal Entities

Lithuania’s Prosecutor General’s Office opened a pre-trial probe on May 22, 2026 into an illegal breach of state information systems after investigators said more than 600,000 registry records may have been copied. The suspected targets were the Real Estate Register and the Register of Legal Entities, both of which sell data as a paid service, and the initial damage estimate is at least 111,000 euros. Authorities say some access attempts came from abroad and through systems run by other institutions. Accounts have been blocked and access restricted, while Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has called for Registrų centras chief Adrijus Jusas to step down.

Why it matters

The breach puts companies and property owners in the crosshairs, because the affected registers are used for transactions, compliance checks and routine business verification. It also forces the state to tighten access controls and review how external logins could reach paid registry data through systems run by other institutions.

sources:tv3.lt vz.lt

Politics

Prime minister on officers arrested in smuggling probe: how could this have gone unnoticed for years?

Thirteen police and border officers were detained on Friday in a probe into cigarette smuggling by balloon, as investigators said the case now includes 49 suspects and 4.2 million euros in seized assets. Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said the operation followed months of work and evidence-gathering, and that the suspects are alleged to have abused their posts and passed on inside information. The government will now review internal controls at the Interior Ministry, while prosecutors are due to decide on suspensions and pre-trial restraints later on Friday.

Why it matters

The case goes to the credibility of officers working the border and could force a tighter audit of internal controls in police and border guard units. If the allegations of inside leaks hold up, pressure will rise to overhaul intelligence, response and oversight arrangements along the frontier with Belarus.

sources:15min.lt

Crime

A minor suffered violence in Panevėžys district; a juvenile in Radviliškis

Police said on May 22, 2026 that a young child was subjected to violence in Panevėžys district and a juvenile was abused in Radviliškis. In such cases, investigators open criminal probes and arrange medical checks and child-protection assessments to gauge the victims’ condition and safety. If suspects are identified, police can seek pre-trial restrictions and pass the file to prosecutors.

Why it matters

Child victims often end up under both medical and child-protection supervision, so the response is not just about the alleged offender but also whether the child can safely return home. Cases like these typically trigger a rapid response from police, social workers and schools.

sources:lrytas.lt

Economy

In a 90 m² old building in Kaunas centre, three rental apartments were set up; property value doubled

In Kaunas city centre, owners have turned 90 sq. m of old premises into three rental flats and roughly doubled the property’s value. The uplift came not from new construction but from a full internal redesign that split one large space into smaller units, which often command higher rents in central locations. The deal fits a broader shift in Kaunas, where investors are repurposing ageing commercial space into residential stock to boost rental yield.

Why it matters

Conversions like this expand the supply of central rental housing by turning one underused asset into several income-producing units. They also give landlords a faster payback profile than leaving ageing premises in their original layout or using them for a single tenant.

sources:delfi.lt

Society

Mobility-impaired people sidelined: intercity buses are an impossible mission for them

On May 21, 2026, the Lithuanian Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired said disabled passengers still face major barriers on intercity buses because trips must be booked well ahead of time. The complaint echoes earlier rules that forced passengers with disabilities to notify carriers in advance, a system critics said made routine travel for medical appointments, work and errands much harder. The latest push has put fresh pressure on operators and regulators to show how intercity routes can be made usable without advance planning.

Why it matters

For passengers with mobility impairments, it means intercity travel is still a planned operation, not an everyday option. When schedules and booking rules dictate access, independence narrows and simple trips to a doctor, employer or public office become harder to make.

sources:delfi.lt

Europe

Summary

In Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, a Ukrainian strike killed six people and left 15 missing, with rescue work still under way. In the past 48 hours, Ukraine also hit a Russian drone pilot training centre, killing 65 people according to Russian and Ukrainian accounts.

Kyiv said today that Russia has already lost 145,000 troops since the start of the year. Volodymyr Zelensky also said Russia’s Yaroslavl oil refinery has been attacked for the fourth time this month. Over the past day, Ukraine stepped up long-range strikes inside Russia and also hit one of the country’s largest oil refineries.

Washington on May 21 approved a possible $108.1 million sale to Ukraine of equipment to keep its Hawk air defence missile systems running. The package covers sustainment and spare parts rather than a new platform; Ukraine first received Hawk units from partners in 2022.

In Kyiv today, military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said the Kremlin was preparing domestically unpopular decisions. In Helsingborg yesterday, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told NATO chief Mark Rutte that threats from Belarus were intensifying, discussed Ukraine’s strikes inside Russia and said sanctions on Moscow should not be eased.

Ukraine said it struck the headquarters of a Russian military unit in an occupied city, not civilians. Kyiv also said 406 prisoners of war died under torture in Russian captivity. Nordic and Baltic ministers condemned Russia over disinformation, threats to Latvia and drone incidents.

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

Putin: six killed and 15 missing after strike on occupied territory in Kyiv

Vladimir Putin said on May 22 that a Ukrainian strike on Russian-occupied territory killed six people and left 15 missing, with search and rescue work under way. The statement came after several days of heavy drone and missile attacks on both sides of the front, as Kyiv and Moscow trade blows at logistics and military targets. If the missing toll is confirmed, it would mark another civilian casualty episode in occupied areas where local authorities often update figures only after hours or days.

Why it matters

For residents in occupied areas, strikes like this mean prolonged searches, damaged infrastructure and limited access to reliable information. The longer the missing remain unaccounted for, the harder it becomes for families to get answers and for rescuers to deliver help.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Ukraine destroyed Russia drone pilot training center: 65 dead

Ukrainian forces struck a Russian drone pilot training centre in the past 48 hours, killing 65 people, according to Russian and Ukrainian accounts. The target mattered because such facilities train operators, tactics and target selection for strike drones, not just basic flying skills. Moscow is unlikely to publish the site’s exact role or losses, so the key question now is whether it shifts training elsewhere, and how fast.

Why it matters

Disrupting drone training can slow the flow of new operators to the front, especially in sectors that depend on a steady pipeline of crews. It also shows the war is increasingly being fought against training and logistics infrastructure, not only along the front line.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

US approves sale of Hawk missile system equipment to Ukraine

On May 21, the U.S. State Department approved a possible $108.1 million sale to Ukraine for equipment to sustain the Hawk air defence missile system. Washington said the package was requested by Kyiv and is meant to keep existing systems operational rather than deliver a new platform. Ukraine first received Hawk units in 2022 from several partners, making maintenance and spare parts a near-term priority.

Why it matters

For Ukraine’s air defences, the package means more spare parts, repair gear and technical support for systems already in service. That matters in regions where Russian missiles and drones force Kyiv to keep several layers of air defence running at once.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Budanovas: Kremlin readying unpopular decisions

In Kyiv on May 22, 2026, Kyrylo Budanov said the Kremlin is preparing decisions that will be unpopular at home, linking them to mounting war and security pressure. Recent coverage in the region has put his remarks in the context of Russia's long-term confrontation with the West and a reported $1.1 trillion rearmament drive running to 2036. The message is that Moscow is bracing not only for a longer war, but also for tougher controls and harder choices inside Russia.

Why it matters

The burden of war is shifting further onto Russian households, through budgets, labour rules and possible mobilisation measures. For Ukraine, it signals that the Kremlin still sees the war as a long-term project rather than something nearing an end.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

War in Ukraine. Sybiha: the war is approaching a turning point

On May 21 in Helsingborg, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told NATO chief Mark Rutte that Russian threats from Belarus are intensifying. He also discussed the battlefield, Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russia and the PURL scheme for buying U.S. weapons. Sybiha said peace efforts need more pressure on Moscow and no easing of sanctions.

Why it matters

For Ukrainian troops and civilians, the key issue is whether NATO treats the Belarus direction as a real extra threat and responds with more air defence, weapons and funding. Stronger allied backing would help Kyiv hold the line and reduce the risk of a new pressure point on the northern flank.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Lithuania adds nearly 600 Russian combatants to Schengen blacklist

Lithuania has in the past two days added nearly 600 Russian combatants to the Schengen Information System, effectively barring them from the area. The move fits a wider Baltic push to restrict movement by people who fought for Russia against Ukraine; Estonia has already banned entry to 261 such Russian nationals. Lithuanian officials now want the restrictions coordinated at EU level, since national bans alone do not stop travel across the Schengen zone.

Why it matters

The measure affects border checks and visa enforcement across the Schengen area, because listed individuals can be stopped on entry anywhere in the zone. It also raises pressure on EU governments to harmonise rules so people who fought for Russia cannot move freely from one member state to another.

sources:lrt.lt

World

Summary

Gaza received 100 aid trucks through Kerem Shalom yesterday carrying flour, baby food and medical equipment, but the WHO says hunger has not eased. Britain and nine other countries this week urged Israel to open more crossings and allow aid in at much greater scale.

Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 10 people today, including six paramedics and a Syrian girl. The first strike in Hanouiyeh killed four medics from Hezbollah's Islamic Health Association and wounded two more rescuers despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Analysts in Lithuania and Poland today cited a U.S. defense assessment saying limits on Russian access to Starlink have badly weakened Moscow's battlefield communications and command. Ukrainian counterattacks accelerated in February after Russian units lost satellite links, while Russian military bloggers described disruptions in control and communications.

German broadcasters WDR and NDR reported yesterday that NATO intelligence has been tracking Russian Northern Fleet activity linked to a possible plan to place nuclear-capable missile containers on the Arctic seabed. The reporting names the project as Skif and says it may use a modified Sineva missile, raising immediate questions under the 1970 seabed arms control treaty. Switzerland crushed Austria 9-1 in Zurich at the ice hockey world championship to preserve a perfect start after earlier wins over the United States and Latvia. In Iran, the judiciary has summoned the editor of state news agency IRNA over photos showing a woman without a hijab holding an infant, and the images were removed within hours.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard resigned. Donald Trump named an acting head of U.S. national intelligence.

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

Humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains catastrophic

On May 21, only a limited number of aid trucks were allowed into Gaza, with the Israeli military saying 100 lorries carrying flour, baby food and medical equipment crossed via Kerem Shalom. The World Health Organization said aid flows have barely improved since the ceasefire and that hunger has not eased. Britain and nine other countries this week said the situation remains catastrophic and called on Israel to open more crossings and allow larger-scale deliveries.

Why it matters

For people in Gaza, the shortage still means too little food, medicine and fuel, with hospitals operating on thin supplies. The slower the aid flow, the harder it becomes to restore water, sanitation and basic health services.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Russia allegedly developing a project to deploy nuclear missiles on the seabed

German broadcasters WDR and NDR reported on May 21 that NATO intelligence has been tracking Russian Northern Fleet activity that may point to a seabed deployment project for nuclear-capable missile containers in the Arctic. The reporting identifies the alleged program as Skif and says the missile under discussion is a modified version of the submarine-launched Sineva. The concept would place a new layer of stress on Arctic surveillance and raises immediate questions under the 1970 seabed arms ban treaty.

Why it matters

For NATO members watching the Arctic, the risk is a wider and harder-to-track nuclear deployment model. It would complicate seabed monitoring and force intelligence services to rethink maritime defense priorities in the High North.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

Pentagon: without Starlink Russia is paralyzed – Ukraine took advantage

On May 22, analysts in Lithuania and Poland were citing a U.S. defense assessment that limiting Russian access to Starlink has badly weakened Moscow’s battlefield communications and command. Earlier LRT reporting said Ukrainian counterattacks accelerated in February after Russian units were cut off from satellite links, with Russian military bloggers describing disruptions in control and communications. The result is a harder fight for the Kremlin to keep units coordinated, while Kyiv keeps an edge where Russian drone and artillery teams struggle to stay linked.

Why it matters

Ukraine gains more room to launch strikes and counterattacks where minute-by-minute communications decide the fight. Russian units have to fall back on cable links, short-range networks and other substitutes that are harder to use effectively on the front line.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

At Israel strikes in Lebanon at least ten killed

Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 10 people on May 22, including six paramedics and a Syrian girl, Lebanon's health ministry said. The first hit struck the village of Hanouiyeh and killed four medics working for Hezbollah's Islamic Health Association, while two more rescuers were wounded. The attacks came despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire and underline how far the truce still is from holding.

Why it matters

The deaths of paramedics mean rescue teams in southern Lebanon are now operating under direct fire, with fewer people able to evacuate and treat the wounded. For civilians, that raises the risk that even localized strikes will leave casualties untreated for longer and make entire villages harder to protect.

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

Sports

At the World Championship Switzerland and Slovakia dominate

Switzerland crushed Austria 9-1 in Zurich on May 20, 2026, to keep their perfect start to the world championship alive. Slovakia have also been run over in the same tournament, losing heavily to Sweden, while the Swiss have already beaten the United States and Latvia. The next round of group games will shape the playoff bracket, and the hosts are pushing to lock down the best possible seed.

Why it matters

Swiss fans are already looking at a team that could enter the knockouts with a strong seed and a softer path. For Slovakia, every loss raises the risk of a worse group finish and a tougher opponent when the tournament reaches the decisive rounds.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Iran editor summoned to explain over photos of a woman without hijab

Iran’s judiciary has summoned the editor of state news agency IRNA over photos showing a woman without a hijab holding an infant. IRNA published the images on Tuesday and removed them hours later, according to rights groups and Iranian officials. The case comes as authorities keep tightening enforcement of the mandatory dress code after the 2022 protests that followed Mahsa Amini’s death.

Why it matters

Because IRNA is state-run, the summons tells other editors that even one image can trigger punishment. That pushes Iranian media toward self-censorship and narrows public debate over hijab enforcement.

sources:lrt.lt