Lithuania

A letter with a white powder of unknown origin was found in a Kaunas school, leading to the evacuation of 300 people. Rescuers wearing protective suits collected the substance for testing in a laboratory.

The Czech Senate has recognized the mass deportation of Crimean Tatars as an act of genocide. The decision was supported by 70 senators out of 76 present, joining other countries that had previously made a similar recognition.

Ukraine's German repair center for large military equipment will be moved from Slovakia to Germany by the end of the year. The repair center has been operating in Slovakia since the end of 2022.

Latvia is testing the combat readiness of the National Armed Forces. Military equipment and personnel are being deployed to different locations to perform combat missions.

During a visit to Berlin, the Lithuanian Defense Minister agreed on the largest purchase of military equipment in the country's history. Lithuania will purchase 44 German Leopard-2 tanks.

Latvian basketball player Janis Timma was found dead in a residential building in the center of Moscow. According to media reports, the 32-year-old athlete committed suicide after his divorce from Anna Sedokova.

The Lithuanian Foreign Minister called on the EU to approve a joint strategy to counter Russia's hybrid actions. Lithuania, together with 6 EU member states, has prepared a proposal to be considered at a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Lithuania and Estonia imposed sanctions on 17 Georgian politicians and officials, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The reason was the suppression of protests and human rights violations in Georgia.

Mark Kulish took third place at the Edusport Trophy competition in Romania with 143. 29 points. After the short program, the athlete was fourth, but thanks to his high score in the free skate, he moved up to third place.

Belgium plans to increase the number of troops in NATO to 1,500 in 2025. The country will also send F-16s to Iceland and return troops to the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

30 Ukrainian basic military training instructors will study in Lithuania in 2025. After the training, they will implement NATO standards and a new live-fire project in Ukraine.

Defense Minister Umerov announced the strengthening of long-range weapons production in Ukraine from 2025. Estonia will continue to support Ukraine, allocating 0.25% of its GDP annually for military assistance.

Health Minister Viktor Lyashko held a meeting with the Lithuanian ambassador on cooperation in the medical field. The parties discussed technical support for European integration, rehabilitation of victims and restoration of medical infrastructure.

Poland is developing a program for the development of the armed forces for 2025-2039, taking into account the experience of the war in Ukraine. The document will include seven priorities, including increasing the army, developing air defense and introducing artificial intelligence.

The SBU has put businessman Serhiy Tarasov on the Wanted list for misappropriation of 12 thousand hectares of state land. The suspect, who has a Lithuanian diplomatic passport, went abroad for "medical treatment".

The first batch of the Ukrainian ad drone missile was handed over to the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Zelensky confirmed the successful combat use of new weapons and plans to increase production.

The Ministry of defense of Ukraine has allocated more than UAH 87 billion for the purchase of drones, of which 59 billion - for DeepStrike. Umerov said that 82% of electronic warfare equipment and 41% of UAVs were contracted in three months.

A Ukrainian startup has started mass production of the Palyanitsa drone rocket with the support of the Ministry of Defense. The missile has a range of 700 km and a cost of less than 1 1 million, and Lithuania has allocated 10 million euros for its production.

Starting from January 2025, Lithuania will ban taking driving exams in Russian. Exams will be conducted in Lithuanian and the official languages of the EU, with the exception of Ukrainians with temporary protection.

NATO Secretary General Rutte said that the ministerial meeting will focus on ensuring a strong position of Ukraine for possible peace talks. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry rejects any alternatives to full membership in NATO.

MEPs have called on the European Commission to impose sanctions against the leadership of the Georgian Dream because of the authoritarian seizure of power. The Baltic states have already agreed to impose national sanctions against the suppression of protests in Georgia.

The United States has announced a new package of military assistance to Ukraine worth 7 725 million. Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Luxembourg also provide additional support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

As a result of a Russian missile strike on the village of Tsarichanka, 4 people were killed, a residential building and a shop were damaged. Ukraine receives new military aid packages from its allies.

On February 8, 2025, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will disconnect from the Russian IPS/UPS power grid. The next day, the Baltic states are synchronized with the continental European energy system with the support of the CEF Foundation.

German concern Rheinmetall will launch production of 155-mm artillery shells in Lithuania by mid-2026. The investment will amount to 180 million euros, and 150 jobs will be created.

Telia Lietuva repaired a damaged communication cable between Lithuania and Sweden in the Baltic Sea. The channel provided a third of international internet traffic, but its damage did not affect users.

The 225-meter ship Yi Peng 3 stretched anchor for 160 km, damaging underwater cables between European countries. Investigators are considering the version of deliberate sabotage with the possible participation of Russian intelligence.

The Vilnius City Council has unanimously approved a decision on free travel for Ukrainian refugees on public transport until 2026. Such support has been in effect since March 2022 after the Russian invasion.

Chairman of the Odessa RSA Oleg Kiper met with President of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'azur region Renault Muselier. The parties signed a memorandum of cooperation for 5 years and discussed support for the medical sector and The Superhumans project.

Donald Tusk suggests creating a "maritime police" to protect the Baltic Sea from Russian threats. The initiative comes after the recent damage to an underwater telecommunications cable between Finland and Germany.