Russia 'planning false flag attack in Europe using captured Ukrainian drones'

Russia may be planning a 'false flag' strike on the Baltics using Ukrainian-made drones, Europe's leaders have warned. Leaders of Poland and three Baltic states fear that Russia is considering an attack or sabotage against their countries in an attempt to shift the focus of the Ukraine war and to reduce support for Kyiv.This comes as Ukraine's strikes intensify and move further into Russia. Lithuania's defence minister Robertas Kaunas said on Thursday: 'We are talking about a false flag operation, using a false Ukrainian drone. 'One of the goals is for NATO to waver and decrease to Ukraine. I can assure this will not happen.' A 'false flag' is a term for an event or attack which someone other than the actual perpetrator would be blamed for. The warning follows Lithuania's president Gitanas Nauseda's announcement in July over the heightening of security after intelligence believed Russia was planning a targeted attack on critical infrastructure. Moscow rebutted the claims at the time, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov describing them as 'scare stories' to justify an increase in militarisation against Russia. Smoke is seen rising after a Ukrainian drone attack on an oil refinery in Yaroslavl A deep-strike drone launches for a combat mission in an undisclosed location in UkrainePoland and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have previously accused Moscow of intimidation through aggressive rhetoric - all of whom are staunch supporters of Kyiv, and members of the NATO military alliance on the border with Russia.It comes after Ukrainian military drones have strayed into the airspace of Finland and the Baltics in a series of cases in recent months, prompting fears that the war in Ukraine could spill over into NATO's northern borders with Russia. While Kyiv claim this is caused by Russia tapping into the drones' signals, Moscow has rather placed blame on the Baltics for allegedly allowing Ukraine to use their airspace to stage attacks. This is denied by both the Baltic states and Ukraine. The announcement follows Germany launching a counter-terrorism investigation into an explosive-laden drone that was discovered at Leipzig Halle Airport on Wednesday.While Ukraine's nighttime attacks have intensified and creeped further into Russia, with Kyiv targeting more oil facilities in an attempt to weaken Moscow. The continuous strikes have caused fuel shortages and prompted growing public anxiety in Russia as the strikes reach infrastructure far from the front line. Ukrainian forces hit a refinery in Bashkortostan, more than 1,300km (800 miles) behind the front line, as well as a refinery in the Yaroslavl region, nearly 700km (400 miles) from the Ukrainian border, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Ukrainian drones struck Russian fuel trucks that were heading to Crimea A drone (pictured) with explosives was found at Germany's Leipzig Halle Airport and the device was defused, authorities said on WednesdayTwo Russian military boats in the Black Sea were also targeted, Zelensky posted on X, alongside vessels belonging to Russia's so-called shadow fleet. Meanwhile the Russian Defence Ministry today announced its air defences shot down 605 Ukrainian drones over a number of Russian regions, including Crimea. This came as nighttime Russian drone and glide bomb attacks killed at least three civilians and wounded 22 others, authorities said. Ukraine appealed to the West for more missile defences after a major Russian air attack on Kyiv killed 17 people. Moscow's forces have in recent weeks pummeled Ukraine with ballistic missiles that Kyiv officials say only the US-made Patriot air defence system can stop. But the Iran war has drained stocks of Patriot interceptor missiles, leaving Ukraine at the mercy of Russian bombardments that seek to exploit its weakened aerial defences.'We are working as hard as possible with all partners who can assist with the supply of interceptor missiles to protect against such insane Russian strikes targeting life, people, and civilian facilities,' Zelensky said on social media late Wednesday after the Russian barrage killed 17 people in the Kyiv region.He said he had spoken to NATO chief Mark Rutte and Finnish President Alexander Stubb about urgent rearmament of interceptors.Ukraine is aiming to build at least 50,000 combat robots to support its soldiers fighting on the frontlineZelensky said he and Rutte 'coordinated our efforts regarding countries that have the necessary missiles and the capacity to help'.'It is important to cut through all red tape and make the necessary political decisions," Zelensky said.'I am discussing with allies how we can continue to get Ukraine the air defences they urgently need,' Rutte said on X.Russia appears determined to exhaust Ukraine through sheer weight of numbers in terms of soldiers, armour and weapons. It is an effort Ukraine seeks to combat with plans to build at least 50,000 combat robots to support and replace its soldiers fighting on the frontline. The move would help Ukraine optimise its headcount while fighting Russia and free soldiers from dangerous tasks.But Putin is believed to think time is on his side, western analysts and officials said. As he believes Western support will fade and that Ukraine's resistance will eventually collapse under pressure.Russia fired four missiles and 101 long-range strike drones at Ukraine from Wednesday into Thursday, Ukraine's air force said, with air defences shooting down or jamming 66 drones.Three people were killed in Balakliia in the northeastern Kharkiv region, according to Vitalii Karabanov, head of the city's military administration.A first strike hit a home, killing a woman and starting a fire, he said, while a second strike near another home killed a man and a woman.In the neighboring Sumy region, Russian glide bombs wounded 12 people, the National Police said. Apartment buildings and infrastructure were damaged near the impact sites, with hundreds of windows shattered, regional military administration chief Oleh Hryhorov said.In the southern Kherson region, a Russian drone struck a bus carrying farmworkers to a field, wounding six people, regional authorities said.A Russian drone also struck a residential area in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, wounding four people, regional administration head Ivan Fedorov said.