Three Ukrainians expelled from Lithuania before any actual damage was done, VSD says

Lithuania's State Security Department (VSD), the country's intelligence and security agency, said on Thursday that three Ukrainian citizens accused of carrying out tasks for foreign intelligence services have left Lithuania. According to the VSD, the decision to expel them was made before any actual damage had been done to the state.

Asked by the news agency BNS why no pretrial investigation had been launched against the three, the VSD replied that it had examined their activities and gathered information indicating a threat to national security. The agency said the risks arising from their activities were eliminated with a measure provided for by law, before any actual damage to the state occurred.

Residence permits revoked

The VSD explained that the Ukrainians' Lithuanian residence permits were revoked on the basis of the agency's security threat assessment. The Migration Department has confirmed that the individuals have left the country, but the VSD said it does not know which country they went to.

As BNS reported earlier, all three were declared threats to national security, had their temporary residence permits revoked and were barred from returning to Lithuania for five years.

According to the VSD, the Ukrainians carried out various assignments in exchange for payment for "hostile" foreign intelligence services. The tasks were communicated via Telegram and other messaging platforms.