The American OFAC office has lifted some sanctions from the Belarusian airline.
In Latvia, access to 27 Internet resources spreading Russian propaganda has been restricted. These websites systematically disseminated one-sided information about Russia's war against Ukraine and justified the occupation of Ukrainian territories.
The German arms concern Rheinmetall AG has begun construction of an ammunition production plant in Lithuania, which is the largest defense investment in the country's history. The enterprise will start operating in mid-2026, producing up to 100,000 shells annually.
Defense ministers from ten Joint Expeditionary Force countries will meet in Norway. This is the first JEF meeting with the participation of Ukraine's defense minister and the first above the Arctic Circle.
In October 2025, Lithuania recorded 275 attempts of illegal border crossing from Belarus, almost half of which occurred in the last five days of the month. This is a record for the last six months, which happened after the closure of checkpoints due to drone cigarette smuggling.
Three UAVs were again detected over the Belgian NATO military base Kleine-Brogel. Attempts to jam or shoot down the drones were unsuccessful, and the police lost the signal after 20 kilometers of pursuit.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced concrete agreements with partners regarding support for Ukraine's energy sector this winter. Russia used almost 1,500 attack drones, 1,170 guided aerial bombs, and over 70 missiles in a week.
Lithuania and Russia are negotiating the extension of the gas transit agreement to the Kaliningrad region, which expires in December 2025. Lithuania receives approximately 12 million euros in revenue annually for gas transit.
Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko emphasized the importance of international cooperation in investigating Russian war crimes. He noted that Lithuania was one of the first to join the joint investigative team, and its decision to prosecute a suspected war criminal is historic.
Ukraine will appeal to Lithuania with a request for the extradition of its citizen, who fought on the side of the Russian Federation, committed war crimes and committed treason. The man is currently in Lithuania, said Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko.
Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko stated that the Lithuanian citizen, who was tortured by a Russian serviceman in Melitopol, was not a military person and did not participate in hostilities. Ukraine handed over the Russian serviceman to Lithuania for criminal prosecution for war crimes.
"Lithuanian Railways" (LTG) is halting the transportation of Lukoil oil products due to sanctions imposed by the US and Great Britain. Last year, LTG transported about 345,000 tons of this Russian manufacturer's products to Kaliningrad.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko announced that evidence had been obtained and Russian military personnel who killed another Lithuanian citizen had been eliminated. Earlier, Ukraine handed over a Russian serviceman to a foreign state for torture, including that of a Lithuanian.
Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko summarized his visit to Lithuania, the main purpose of which was the first-ever extradition of a Russian serviceman for war crimes. He held meetings with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė to coordinate further steps in the field of justice.
Ukraine has handed over a Russian serviceman to Lithuania for criminal prosecution for war crimes. The suspect has been taken into custody and faces life imprisonment.
Lithuanian authorities temporarily closed the airspace over Vilnius due to balloons from Belarus, which was the sixth such incident in October. This led to two flights being turned back and increased control at the border with Belarus.
Ukraine supported Lithuania over Belarusian provocations and airspace incursions, which caused disruptions to civil aviation. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called Lukashenka's actions hybrid attacks by the Russian Federation against Europe.
Lithuania is temporarily closing two border crossings with Belarus, Medininkai and Šalčininkai, for a month, starting on Wednesday. Exceptions will apply to diplomats, EU citizens, and other categories, while Šalčininkai will be completely closed and Medininkai partially open.
The European Union has condemned Belarus for provocative actions after balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes forced Lithuania to close airports. The EU warned of possible further sanctions but refrained from directly accusing the Lukashenka regime due to Hungary's objections.
Germany plans to purchase up to 12,000 kamikaze drones from startups Helsing, Stark, and defense giant Rheinmetall for approximately 300 million euros. These drones are intended for the German brigade in Lithuania, which will defend NATO's eastern flank against Russia.
On October 28, Polish fighters intercepted a Russian Il-20 aircraft over the Baltic Sea, which was performing a reconnaissance mission with its transponder turned off. The aircraft did not violate Polish airspace, but NATO countries on the eastern flank are on high alert.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuania, Juozas Olekas. They discussed joint weapons production, Ukraine's European integration, and increased sanctions pressure on Russia.
Spain's Alicante-Elche Airport has reopened after a two-hour closure due to a drone sighting, causing delays for thousands of passengers. Ten international flights were diverted to other airports.
Five flights with British tourists were diverted after a drone was spotted near Alicante Airport. A total of ten international flights changed their routes, causing delays for about a thousand travelers.
The European Union has supported Lithuania in connection with regular flights of contraband balloons from Belarus. President of the European Council António Costa assured of full solidarity with the people of Lithuania and called on Belarus to cease hybrid activities.
Lithuania calls on the EU to impose new sanctions against Belarus after the flight of contraband balloons. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys called it part of the Belarusian regime's hybrid warfare.
Companies from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are involved in a large-scale scheme to supply fuel to Russia's shadow fleet, having carried out 286 refueling operations. This activity is a gross violation of the sanctions regime, undermining the effectiveness of Western restrictions.
A new DNA study of Napoleon Bonaparte's soldiers has revealed previously undocumented diseases, such as paratyphoid and relapsing fever, which affected the failure of the French troops in 1812. These infections, along with cold and hunger, led to the mass deaths of soldiers in the Russian Empire.
Lithuania will start shooting down smuggler balloons from Belarus that have repeatedly violated the country's airspace. This decision was made after Vilnius airport was closed four times due to such incidents.
Lithuania has temporarily closed the "Šalčininkai" and "Medininkai" border crossings with Belarus due to balloon flights. Vilnius International Airport has also suspended operations until morning.
