Term
State Security Department
The State Security Department is Lithuania's civilian intelligence service. It monitors espionage, foreign influence operations and other threats to national security.
17 September 2026
Archived edition
Lithuania
Summary
Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said on Thursday that determining what the drone shot down over Lithuania was aimed at may take time. NATO said the Sept. 15 overnight operation was coordinated from its Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem, Germany. Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets downed a Gerbera-type drone that entered from Belarus near the Kruonis pumped-storage plant, and Lithuanian bomb disposal officers later neutralised an explosive device at the crash site. A separate public assessment said the drone was Russian, but its intended target may not have been Lithuania.
Lithuania's FNTT carried out a second round of raids this week at the National Paying Agency on Thursday, including in director Fortunatas Dirginčius's office. Sinkevičius called the situation serious and said he was waiting for decisions on possible restrictive measures, while several people have already been formally suspected. The Central Electoral Commission terminated the mandate of Druskininkai mayor Ričardas Malinauskas. Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said the State Security Department had moved into the Kaunas mosque incident because hostile states were already exploiting it.
In Garliava, a main gas pipeline was damaged during excavation work on Wednesday afternoon and residents left nearby homes. Lithuanian hauliers said on Thursday that the economics of low-carbon trucks could improve sharply from 2027: the country registered more than 9,000 new trucks in the first eight months of the year, but only about 30 used alternative fuels. Scania Lietuva's Darius Snieška said biomethane would become the cheapest fuel from Jan. 1, while electricity could match diesel in some cases. Cost pressures also remain broader: Evaldas Luneckas said Brent crude rose nearly 10% in a week to $109.8 a barrel, and Lithuania's August inflation rate was the second highest in the EU.
A drone shot down in Lithuania was Russian and had been heading for Ukraine, according to Raimondas Kaunas. In Washington, Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the United States had assured Lithuania that any troop reduction would be temporary, and the two countries signed a critical minerals cooperation agreement.
sources: delfi.lt, vz.lt, tv3.lt, 15min.lt, lrt.lt, lrytas.lt
Worth knowing
Top stories
Politics
VSD reacted to attack on Kaunas mosque – event used by hostile state
Lithuania's State Security Department has moved into the Kaunas mosque incident after last week's display of a pig's head outside the mosque drew fresh political attention on September 17. Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said the episode should be assessed by VSD, and warned that hostile states had already started to exploit it. The case has shifted from a local provocation to a national security issue. It now also sits in the wider debate over tension around Muslim communities in Lithuania.
Why it matters
The Kaunas Tatar community is the group most directly exposed, because pressure around a place of worship can quickly become a public order and safety issue. The episode also gives propaganda outlets and political agitators material to amplify fears about security and migration.
Who benefits
Hostile-state influence campaigns and local provocateurs gain material to exploit, while the Kaunas Tatar community and police lose, because they bear the immediate security and reputational fallout.
What's next
The next step is the VSD assessment requested by Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas.
sources:tv3.lt
Politics
After drone down over Lithuania, NATO message
In the night of Sept. 15, NATO air policing jets from Italy shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace near the Kruonis pumped-storage plant in Kaišiadorys district. President Gitanas Nausėda later said the aircraft was a Gerbera-type drone, and bomb disposal experts neutralised an explosive device found at the crash site. NATO’s Allied Air Command said the operation was coordinated from its air operations centre in Uedem, Germany, and the joint investigation with Lithuanian authorities is still under way.
Why it matters
Lithuania’s energy sector and air defence planners are watching this closely because the drone came down near the Kruonis plant, a key asset for balancing the power grid. Civil aviation and border communities now face tighter alert procedures after the warning was issued in Vilnius and Kaunas counties.
Energy
Gas pipeline damaged in Kauno rajonas, residents evacuated
A main gas pipeline was damaged in Garliava, Kaunas district, during excavation work on Wednesday afternoon. Residents left nearby homes after the leak. The report was published on September 17, 2026.
Why it matters
A rupture like this puts nearby homes at risk and can interrupt gas supply for local customers until the site is made safe. If the damaged stretch is part of the main network, the disruption can reach beyond a single street.
Politics
After second NMA raids – prime minister's reaction: The situation is serious
On September 17, 2026, Lithuania’s FNTT carried out fresh raids at the National Paying Agency, the second set this week, including in director Fortunatas Dirginčius’s office. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said the situation is serious and said he is waiting for updates on possible restrictive measures against suspects. BNS said several people have already been formally suspected in the case. The agency was also searched on September 15, suggesting investigators are widening the probe.
Why it matters
The National Paying Agency handles EU farm payments and subsidy decisions, so any widening criminal probe can slow or complicate money flows to farmers and rural businesses. The pressure now falls most directly on NMA management and the Agriculture Ministry, while the key question for the sector is whether the investigation disrupts payment processing.
Energy
Evaldas Luneckas. The shadow of the energy crisis returns – gas shortages, rising logistics costs and pressure on interest rates on the economy
In a 15 September comment for 15min, Evaldas Luneckas said Brent crude rose nearly 10% in a week to $109.8 a barrel, while Asian LNG prices climbed above $28 per mBtu. He linked the move to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, slower-than-expected LNG flows, limits at Norwegian fields, damage to Russian gas infrastructure and possible labour disputes at French LNG terminals. He said European gas storage is still more than 100 TWh short of a 75% fill target, while the ECB raised rates by 25 basis points to 2.5% the same day.
Why it matters
Higher gas and oil prices feed straight into heating, power and transport costs for European households and industry. When rates rise at the same time, borrowing gets more expensive and investment plans get harder to finance.
sources:delfi.lt
Energy
New carrier math: biomethane cheaper, electricity may rival diesel
Lithuanian hauliers and energy executives said on Sept. 17 that the business case for low-carbon trucks is about to improve sharply. In the first eight months of this year, Lithuania registered more than 9,000 new trucks, but only about 30 ran on alternative fuels. Scania Lietuva's Darius Snieška said biomethane will be the cheapest fuel from Jan. 1 and electricity will match diesel in some cases. Martynas Nagevičius said Lithuania already has 18 public biomethane filling points and four more are planned.
Why it matters
Hauliers now have to win contracts on kilometre cost, because shippers want lower emissions but are unwilling to pay more. If biomethane and electricity really undercut diesel, fleet renewal becomes a cost play, not just a decarbonisation bet.
sources:vz.lt
Europe
Summary
Russia struck a civilian ship flying the Tanzanian flag in the Black Sea as it sailed toward a Ukrainian port, killing its captain. Ukraine’s sea ports administration said three other crew members were injured. It was the second publicly reported attack in the same shipping corridor in recent months to kill a merchant vessel’s captain.
In Kyiv, overnight Russian missile and drone strikes injured at least 16 people, including a 10-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy. The attacks hit more than 10 locations, damaging warehouses, office space, homes, cars and the roof of a non-residential building in the Dnipro, Solomianskyi, Darnytskyi and Podil districts. Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted or neutralised 131 targets out of 157 launched drones, missiles and decoys. In Odesa, a Russian drone hit a 19-storey apartment building, injuring three people, including a child, and fires broke out in the city.
In Russia, a defence ministry airfield in Rostov-on-Don caught fire overnight after several explosions. A separate drone strike hit the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery in Yaroslavl, triggering a large blaze. Ukraine also said it had received the bodies of 252 of its war dead returned by Russia.
Belarus is continuing four days of military drills near its borders with Poland and Lithuania at ranges in the Grodno and Brest regions. Poland responded with air operations, while Lithuania delivered a protest note to Minsk after a drone crossed in from Belarus yesterday.
Donald Tusk said Russia is planning attacks against countries supporting Ukraine, and Poland will respond with a record military aid package for Kyiv. A fresh Russian strike on Ukraine also prompted Poland to scramble fighter jets.
sources: delfi.lt, lrt.lt, 15min.lt, tv3.lt, vz.lt, lrytas.lt
Worth knowing
Term
Vienna Document
The Vienna Document is an OSCE confidence and security-building agreement. It requires states to notify others about certain military activities and allows inspections and observation of larger exercises.
Top stories
Politics
Ukraine: during a Russian strike the captain of the Tanzanian ship was killed
Russia hit a civilian ship flying the Tanzanian flag in the Black Sea on Sept. 17, killing the captain, Ukraine said. The vessel was sailing toward one of Ukraine's ports when it was struck, and three other crew members were injured, according to the Ukrainian Sea Ports Administration. The attack comes after a similar July strike on merchant shipping in the same waterway killed another captain. Kyiv has portrayed the assault as part of Russia's widening campaign against civilian sea traffic bound for Ukrainian ports.
Why it matters
For crews on Black Sea shipping lanes, the attack raises the risk of death and injury and pushes up insurance and security costs for ship operators. It also makes it harder for Ukraine to keep export cargoes moving through its ports.
Who benefits
Russia's campaign against Ukrainian sea traffic gains leverage, while Ukrainian ports, shipping companies and crews bound for Odessa-area terminals bear the losses.
What's next
Ukrainian port authorities and investigators will need to determine what type of drone hit the ship and how the route was protected, which will shape the next security measures for Black Sea shipping.
Politics
Russian drone hit a multi-story building in Odesa, 3 people injured
A Russian drone hit a 19-storey apartment building in Odesa overnight on September 17, injuring three people, including a child. The strike came as Russia also hit Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine in a wider night barrage. Local officials said fires broke out in Odesa and emergency crews were working at multiple sites. Early casualty counts were still being updated as rescue work continued. (internazionale.it)
Why it matters
For Odesa residents, the hit puts apartment blocks and children directly in the line of fire in densely populated neighborhoods. Each attack forces evacuations, emergency repairs and round-the-clock deployment of rescue crews and medics. (internazionale.it)
sources:delfi.lt
Politics
Belarus concentrates the army and equipment near Suwałki for exercises: security experts send a message
Belarus launched four-day military drills on Sept. 15 near its borders with Poland and Lithuania, with live activity taking place at ranges in Grodno and Brest regions close to the frontier. Poland responded the same day with air operations, while Lithuania on Sept. 16 lodged a protest over a drone that crossed in from Belarus. The exercises come as NATO members on the eastern flank step up airspace monitoring after a series of border incidents. Minsk says the troop and equipment levels stay within the limits that must be notified under the Vienna Document.
Why it matters
People living near the Polish and Lithuanian border are seeing more military aircraft, more patrols and tighter airspace monitoring, which raises the risk of false alarms and border incidents. It also keeps border guards and armed forces on a higher alert level.
Politics
In Kyiv attack, 16 people injured including a 10-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy
At least 16 people were wounded in Kyiv on September 17, 2026, including a 10-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy, after Russian missile and drone strikes overnight. Kyiv’s military administration said the attacks hit more than 10 locations, while Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted or neutralised 131 targets from a total 157 launched drones, missiles and decoys. Damage was reported in Dnipro, Solomiankskyi, Darnytskyi and Podil districts, including warehouses, office space, homes, cars and a non-residential building roof. (15min.lt)
Why it matters
Kyiv civilians, especially families with children, remain exposed when strikes hit residential districts and nearby infrastructure. The damage also pulls in emergency crews and city services at the same time, as they treat casualties and assess wrecked warehouses, offices and homes. (15min.lt)
sources:15min.lt
Politics
War in Ukraine. After a drone strike Rostov airport caught fire
A military airfield in Rostov-on-Don caught fire overnight after a string of explosions, according to Ukrainian and Russian monitoring channels cited by LRT. The blaze followed drone activity across several Russian regions, and a refinery in Yaroslavl was also hit and set alight. The scale of damage at the Rostov site has not been made public. (lrt.lt)
Why it matters
Military airfields and oil infrastructure in Russia are becoming regular targets for long-range Ukrainian drones, forcing Moscow to spread air defences across its southern and western regions. That raises the cost of protecting rear-area logistics and can disrupt aviation operations and fuel supplies. (lrt.lt)
Politics
Explosions sound in the Ukrainian capital
Russian strikes hit Kyiv in the early hours of Sept. 17, damaging buildings in the Ukrainian capital, while people were wounded in Odesa, according to Ukrainian officials. The attack came before dawn and was part of Russia’s continuing campaign of drone and missile strikes across Ukraine. Kyiv has faced repeated attacks in recent weeks, with air defenses and emergency crews again scrambling to respond. Officials were still assessing the damage after the latest strike.
Why it matters
For Kyiv residents, this means more overnight sheltering, damaged apartment blocks and another disruption to daily life. For Odesa’s port and logistics sector, the strike adds risk because Russian attacks are hitting both cities and key infrastructure.
sources:15min.lt
World
Summary
A UN-backed fact-finding mission in Geneva said today it had reasonable grounds to believe the United States committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran in February. Investigators said at least 178 civilians were killed in Minab and Lamerd, and one strike hit a clearly identifiable school. The same report also accused Iranian authorities of crimes against humanity over their bloody crackdown on protesters.
A Russian drone hit a civilian ship flying the Tanzanian flag in the Black Sea today as it approached a Ukrainian port, killing the captain. Ukraine said three other crew members were injured and the vessel’s condition is still being assessed. Kyiv says Russia’s wider campaign against Ukrainian ports and merchant shipping has damaged 1,200 port facilities and 274 civilian vessels since the full-scale invasion began. The U.S. House voted 262-159 yesterday to send a sweeping Russia sanctions bill to President Donald Trump for signature. The measure would let Trump impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian oil or gas and on five more countries helping Moscow evade energy sanctions.
In Sudan’s West Kordofan state, at least 82 people were found dead after an informal gold mine collapsed, with dozens injured and others still missing underground. Rescue crews had only one privately owned forklift to dig through shafts more than 30 metres deep. In England, police divers found a body in Decoy Pond in Brantham yesterday evening, ending the search for three-year-old Noah Woods after more than 1,300 volunteers joined the operation. In Yemen, Saudi warplanes struck Houthi positions today, and the rebels said 40 air strikes hit Taiz, Marib and Hodeidah over the previous 24 hours.
A U.S. delegation held talks with the Houthis in Oman on the war in Yemen, and the group pledged to halt attacks in the Red Sea. At the same time, Donald Trump said a decisive move on a possible war with Iran is approaching.
sources: 15min.lt, lrt.lt, lrytas.lt, delfi.lt, tv3.lt, vz.lt
Worth knowing
Term
Crimes against humanity
In international law, these are widespread or systematic attacks directed against civilians, including murder, torture or persecution. They can be investigated by international courts and UN bodies.
Top stories
Politics
Russia attacked a civilian ship in the Black Sea, captain killed
A Russian drone hit a civilian vessel flying the Tanzanian flag in the Black Sea on September 17, killing the captain and injuring three crew members, Ukraine said. The ship was headed to one of Ukraine's ports, and officials said the vessel's condition is still being assessed. Kyiv said the strike fits a wider Russian campaign against Ukrainian ports, port infrastructure and merchant shipping. Ukrainian officials are pressing for a coordinated international response to improve protection for Black Sea routes.
Why it matters
Port operators and shipping firms face higher risk moving cargo into Odessa-region terminals and other Black Sea gateways. That can push up insurance costs, slow sailings and tighten supply chains that depend on those routes.
Who benefits
Russia's coercive military strategy gains, while Ukraine's port sector, global shipping lines and cargo shippers lose through higher security and insurance costs.
What's next
Ukraine's Infrastructure and Transport Ministry will assess the damaged vessel and push for an international response on protecting civilian shipping in the Black Sea.
sources:delfi.lt
Politics
UN commission: two US strikes in Iran may be war crimes
A UN-backed fact-finding mission said in Geneva on Thursday it had reasonable grounds to believe the United States committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran in February. Investigators said at least 178 civilians were killed, including women and children. They said one strike hit a clearly identifiable school in Minab and another hit a sports complex and residential area in Lamerd. The findings will go to the UN Human Rights Council, which is due to examine the report on Monday, Sept. 21.
Why it matters
Iranian civilians and the families of the dead now have an official UN finding that can feed compensation claims and further legal action. Washington faces added legal exposure because the mission directly links the strikes to breaches of international humanitarian law.
Society
In England a tragic conclusion to the search for a missing three-year-old boy
Police divers found a body in Decoy Pond in Brantham, Suffolk, on 16 September at around 6pm, ending the search for three-year-old Noah Woods. He had gone missing at about 3pm the previous day after separating from a relative near a playground in Merriam Close. Noah was partially deaf, non-verbal and autistic, and more than 1,300 volunteers joined the search alongside police, helicopters and the Coastguard. Formal identification is still pending, and officers say the case is being treated as unexplained rather than suspicious. (news.sky.com)
Why it matters
For Brantham, the discovery closes a day-long search that pulled in more than 1,300 volunteers and multiple emergency services. The family now faces the wait for formal identification, while police continue a non-suspicious unexplained-death inquiry that will shape any further steps. (itv.com)
Politics
War in Ukraine: U.S. Congress passed a package of draconian sanctions on Russia
The U.S. House voted 262-159 on Sept. 16 to send a sweeping Russia sanctions and tariff bill to President Donald Trump. The measure would give Trump power to slap tariffs of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian oil or gas, plus five more countries helping Moscow evade energy sanctions. The Senate had already approved the package last month, ending a long stall driven by Democratic concerns over the White House's tariff powers. China and India are the main targets in practice, since they are among Russia's biggest energy customers. (apnews.com)
Why it matters
Russia's energy revenue could take a hit if the White House uses the new tariff authority against its biggest buyers. The risk also extends to European allies, because critics warn the powers could spill over into trade pressure on partners beyond the stated targets. (apnews.com)
Society
At least 82 people killed after gold mine collapses in Sudan
At least 82 people were killed when an informal gold mine collapsed in Sudan’s West Kordofan state, according to local officials and survivors. Rescue work was slow and crude, with only one privately owned forklift available and no heavy equipment to dig through shafts more than 30 metres deep. The collapse began on Sunday and spread through linked tunnels, leaving dozens injured and an unknown number still trapped. The mine was operating without basic safety measures in an area where unregulated gold digging is common.
Why it matters
The immediate burden falls on miners’ families, who are left waiting for news of the missing and for bodies to be recovered. In West Kordofan, the informal gold sector faces fresh pressure from unsafe pits and a rescue system that lacks the equipment to cope with major collapses.
sources:lrt.lt
Politics
Houthis: Saudi Arabia carried out new strikes
Saudi warplanes hit Houthi positions in Yemen on Sept. 17, with the rebels saying they came under 40 air strikes across Taiz, Marib and Hodeidah in the previous 24 hours. The escalation follows Saudi accusations a day earlier that the Houthis tried to target Mecca with a drone, an allegation the group rejected. Reuters said the latest cross-border fighting has pushed Yemenis to flee by boat across the Red Sea. The flare-up marks a sharp widening of the Saudi-Houthi conflict beyond Yemen’s already shattered front lines. (marketscreener.com)
Why it matters
For people near Yemen’s western coast, the fighting now means fresh displacement, with some families already taking to boats to escape. The wider reach of the strikes also raises the risk to Red Sea shipping routes and Saudi Arabia’s southern border towns. (marketscreener.com)
sources:delfi.lt