„The Kremlin regime views the opposition Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) as the most dangerous opposition force capable of exerting real influence on Russia's internal processes. Regime actors regularly collect information on members of the organisation living abroad and have carried out attacks that threaten their life or health,“ reads the comment sent by the DSS.
„It is likely that the attack on FBK member Leonid Volkov in Vilnius on March 12, 2024, is a Russian organised and executed operation aimed at stopping the implementation of Russian opposition projects related to the upcoming undemocratic Russian presidential elections,“ DSS emphasises.
The DSS stresses that the kinetic actions of psychological information operations organised by Russia are often carried out by individuals recruited through social networks.
„The motives for committing these offences may be ideological or the offer of a monetary reward. The Department of State Security of the Republic of Lithuania urges the country's population to immediately inform the intelligence and law enforcement authorities if they receive offers of financial reward for carrying out violent attacks, acts of vandalism or other criminal acts on social networks,“ the Department states.
The Department also points out that since the spring of 2023, subjects of the Kremlin regime have been actively conducting psychological information operations against the Baltic States, which include kinetic actions.
„These operations are aimed at creating panic in the Baltic societies and stopping activities against the Kremlin regime in the Baltic States. The list of potential operations targets is comprehensive: politicians and public figures active against the ruling Kremlin regime, their property, historical monuments, symbols of statehood, infrastructure, cultural and educational institutions“, the DSS stresses.
It is also noted that during the pre-trial investigation by the Criminal Police Bureau into the attack on Mr Volkov, the DSS cooperates and exchanges information with the competent authorities.
ELTA recalls that on Tuesday evening, on the outskirts of Vilnius, an unidentified person assaulted and injured Leonid Volkov, 43, an associate of Aleksey Navalny, who died in prison.
The Russian opposition activist was attacked around 22:00. The Russian citizen was arriving in a car in the yard of his house in the Antakalnis district on Žuvėdrų Street.
A large police force responded to a report of a Russian citizen being attacked and injured in Vilnius, and Aro and special task officers were called in. The suspects have not yet been apprehended, and the crime will be investigated, he said, adding that one of the theories is that the assault may be linked to the victim's political activities.
The victim is being treated as an outpatient at the hospital after receiving medical assistance.
The Russian opposition spokesman says that a man used a special hammer in the yard of the house to hit him about 15 times in the leg and break his arm. He called the incident a typical bandit greeting from Putin from bandit St Petersburg.
The police are conducting a pre-trial investigation for minor bodily injury.
Mr Volkov left Russia under threat of arrest. Mr Volkov currently lives in Lithuania.
