dailynewsnblog
Lithuania warns Russia could be planning ‘targeted’ attacks on critical infrastructure
Meanwhile, Lithuania’s president Gitanas Nausėda warned that Russia could be planning attacks on infrastructure, with security around energy and transport sites to be tightened as a precaution.
Speaking with BNS news agency, Nausėda appeared to confirm growing concerns, reported in the Guardian too, that Russia could be looking to escalate against one of the Baltic countries or Poland.
He said that Lithuanian intelligence services picked up “signals” of a potential provocation, but “they do not identify a specific place or time, because that is simply impossible to determine,” LRT reported.
“I cannot deny that we have such information and that it concerns kinetic operations – not on a large scale, but targeted kinetic operations that are very likely to be directed against critical infrastructure.”
He added:
“Anything that could stop these facilities from functioning is important because they matter not only in themselves but also because they ensure the functioning of the entire system, particularly our synchronisation with the continental European electricity grid.”
Nausėda’s comments are the latest to come from central and eastern Europe amid fears that Russia could be preparing an escalation against one of the countries in the region, after Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk and foreign minister Radosław Sikorski issued similar warnings.
Key events
Vucić and other southeastern leaders in Kyiv for summit with Ukraine
Serbia’s Vucić is in Kyiv (9:42) to take part in the fifth Southeastern Europe – Ukraine summit later today, which was held in Albania’s Tirana and Croatia’s Dubrovnik in previous years.
He even posted a short video of his trip to Ukraine on his Instagram.
According to Ukrainian media, Albania’s president Bajram Begaj, Bulgaria’s foreign minister Velislava Petrova, Croatia’s president Andrej Plenković, Moldova’s president Maia Sandu, Romania’s president Nicușor Dan and Slovenia’s prime minister Janez Janša are all also expected to attend, alongside senior ministers from North Macedonia and Montenegro.
Sandu, Plenković and Dan are already there, judging from pictures posted by Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha.
He said that the summit will focus on “reaffirming our partnership and cooperation on the path to the EU.”
“In focus: joint work to strengthen Europe, multilateral political interaction, and strengthening security and defence cooperation, among other topics.”
Twelve foreign nationals killed in wildfires in southern Spain
Nadeem Badshah
In other news, seven Britons are among 12 foreign nationals killed in wildfires in southern Spain, authorities said.
Officials said 12 of the 13 victims were foreign nationals after completing postmortem examinations after the fires that swept through Andalusia.
Seven were from the UK, three from Belgium and one each from France and the US. The last victim was a Spanish citizen.
“The 13 people who died are eight women and five men, all adults,” the public body responsible for identifying the victims added.
Lithuania warns Russia could be planning ‘targeted’ attacks on critical infrastructure
Meanwhile, Lithuania’s president Gitanas Nausėda warned that Russia could be planning attacks on infrastructure, with security around energy and transport sites to be tightened as a precaution.
Speaking with BNS news agency, Nausėda appeared to confirm growing concerns, reported in the Guardian too, that Russia could be looking to escalate against one of the Baltic countries or Poland.
He said that Lithuanian intelligence services picked up “signals” of a potential provocation, but “they do not identify a specific place or time, because that is simply impossible to determine,” LRT reported.
“I cannot deny that we have such information and that it concerns kinetic operations – not on a large scale, but targeted kinetic operations that are very likely to be directed against critical infrastructure.”
He added:
“Anything that could stop these facilities from functioning is important because they matter not only in themselves but also because they ensure the functioning of the entire system, particularly our synchronisation with the continental European electricity grid.”
Nausėda’s comments are the latest to come from central and eastern Europe amid fears that Russia could be preparing an escalation against one of the countries in the region, after Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk and foreign minister Radosław Sikorski issued similar warnings.
Warren Murray
Here is your daily briefing on Ukraine from Warren Murray:
Morning opening: How to help Ukraine?
Jakub Krupa
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is in Kyiv today with plans to announce “new initiatives to integrate our defence industries,” a day after both European and Ukrainian armies were involved in the Bastille Day parade in Paris.
“It’s a special moment. Ukraine has built a strong military momentum. The tide is turning,” she said.
Overnight, Ukrainian drones hit 20 Russian vessels in Black Sea, Ukraine said, while Russia targeted Ukrainian ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk.
Serbia’s controversial and Moscow-friendly president Aleksander Vucić is also in Kyiv. On Instagram, he said he travelled “all afternoon and night” via Moldova and central Ukraine.
Back in Brussels, far away from official visits, EU ambassadors will be trying to work out the details of the 21st sanctions package for Russia, which was meant to be adopted on Monday.
Some countries are still not sure about some of the proposed measures, including a proposed price cap on Russian oil.
Let’s see if they can make good progress this morning. I will bring you all the latest here.
We will also hear from Germany’s Friedrich Merz later today, as he is set to give his summer press conference as he desperately tries to improve the ratings of his government. I will keep an eye on that for you.
It’s Wednesday, 15 July 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
