US intelligence chief warns Moscow against attacking the Baltics

The head of the US Central Intelligence Agency travelled to Moscow on August 25 to warn the Kremlin against attacking the Baltic states, according to reporting by Politico and the Wall Street Journal. The trip mirrors one made in November 2021, when the CIA's then-director delivered a similar warning to Russia ahead of its invasion of Ukraine.

American intelligence has previously flagged the risk that Russia, increasingly bogged down in Ukraine, could turn against a Baltic state or Poland as one of the few escalation options still available to President Vladimir Putin. Baltic and Polish officials have confirmed receiving the warning from Washington. Intelligence assessments suggest the threat would not necessarily mean a conventional invasion, but could range from cyberattacks to drone incursions to a limited military operation.

Lithuanian officials have downplayed the significance of the Moscow visit, both publicly and privately, saying there is no imminent threat. Even so, Baltic European commissioners reportedly asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for support in a letter seen by Radio Free Europe.

Separately, Lithuania's chief of defence announced on Sunday that the country has deployed one of its two NASAMS air defence systems near Vilnius. The systems have been credited with successfully intercepting Russian missiles and drones in Ukraine. Following recent drone incursions into Lithuanian airspace, Vilnius municipality has also allocated one million euros to upgrade shelters in apartment buildings.

Separately, a storm caused significant damage across Lithuania over the weekend, leaving some towns and villages without power or water. Authorities have declared a nationwide emergency to support affected farmers, with Polish infrastructure crews assisting with power restoration. Critics say the storm should serve as a warning to better prepare critical infrastructure against potential attacks.