Lithuania Does Not Rule Out ‘False Flag’ in Latvia Drone Incident

Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius stated on Aug. 14 that the possibility cannot be ruled out that a drone recently shot down over Latvia was part of a “false flag” operation. In an interview with the LNK žinios, Sinkevičius clarified that there is currently no evidence to support the theory, as the downed aircraft has not yet been recovered.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “The downed drone has not yet been found. I think it will be found soon, and then it will become clear what kind of aircraft it is and who it belongs to,” Sinkevičius said. “Most likely, experts will even be able to trace its target using the microchips.” When asked directly about the possibility of a “false flag” operation, the Lithuanian prime minister acknowledged the scenario. “What you are talking about cannot be ruled out, but so far there is no confirmation of this,” he stated. Warnings of Russian provocations The prime minister’s comments follow recent warnings from the Lithuanian government regarding potential regional threats. Earlier in August, Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas stated that national intelligence services possessed information indicating that Russia was considering possible provocations in the Baltic region. Kaunas noted that the Kremlin was weighing potential strikes against critical infrastructure facilities in the Baltic states. He warned that Russia might utilize captured Ukrainian drones for such operations to create the false impression of Ukrainian involvement and disrupt Western support for Kyiv. Other Topics of Interest Russian Drone Strike on Car in Sumy Kills Man, Injures Woman A Russian drone struck a civilian car in Sumy late Saturday, killing a 59-year-old man and injuring his wife amid a wave of UAV attacks. Kaunas indicated at the time that Moscow had not yet made a final decision on executing these actions or established a specific timeline. Drones disrupt Baltic airspace The Latvian military reported that on Augt. 14, fighter jets participating in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission successfully shot down an unidentified drone that had entered Latvian airspace. The interception occurred against a backdrop of increased unauthorized drone activity in the region. On the same day, neighboring Finland imposed temporary aviation and maritime restrictions in the eastern Gulf of Finland. The Finnish defense forces described the restrictions as a precautionary measure designed to ensure the safety of bystanders and maintain operational capabilities against potential drone threats. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.