Lithuanian law enforcement has concluded a pre-trial investigation into espionage for Russia, as announced by representatives of the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Security Department (VSD). According to the Lithuanian news outlet LRT, charges have been brought against Eduardas Manovas, a member of the Conservative Party, who allegedly provided Russian intelligence services with sensitive information that endangered the country’s national security.
The suspect is a member of the Conservative Party (Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats) and the Union of Deported and Political Prisoners. It was revealed that he held dual citizenship of Lithuania and Russia, with his espionage activities beginning in 2018. These activities involved the collection and transmission of information.
Artūras Urbelis, Chief Prosecutor of the Department for Investigating Organized Crime and Corruption, clarified that the suspect gathered confidential data about Lithuania’s political situation, which was of interest to Russian intelligence services.
Although the information did not hold the status of a state secret, it pertained to the government’s operations, party leadership, and key officials.
Deputy Director of the VSD, Remigijus Bridikis, highlighted that the investigation uncovered the suspect’s advanced level of preparation. The individual employed sophisticated technology to covertly transmit data.
“The individual was engaged with Russian military intelligence as part of an illegal program. This program itself represents a highly exclusive, expensive, and complex method requiring significant resources. Typically, such operations involve the collection of sensitive information highly relevant to Russia. This program was initially developed in the Soviet Union and later adopted by Russia,” Bridikis explained.
According to the deputy head of the VSD, participants in such programs are often gifted and psychologically prepared individuals trained specifically to carry out operations in other countries. Sometimes, entirely new identities are created for these spies, while in other cases, their existing biographies are exploited.
“Such individuals, dispatched to Western countries, establish lives, form contacts, and immerse themselves in environments where they appear most natural. They engage in seemingly innocent activities, often in business, arts, or academia. Once they have built a network of acquaintances, they collect relevant information,” said Bridikis, adding that such spies are usually nondescript individuals who avoid attracting attention.
Arvydas Anušauskas, former Minister of National Defense, remarked that this case suggests the individual may have been sent to Lithuania as an “illegal” operative, albeit using their real name. They managed to live in Lithuania for a long time without performing active tasks. Such individuals can be activated when necessary by Russian intelligence services.
“Illegals” typically refer to spies who enter a target country with forged documents and false identities. They live there for decades, complete university studies, establish families, integrate into local communities, and engage in professional activities until they are activated to gather intelligence.
This is not the first case of Russian spies being identified in Lithuania. In 2022, Lithuanian intelligence services reported the arrest of several individuals working for Russia under the guise of diplomatic or commercial missions.
Experts emphasize that Russia actively deploys agents in the Baltic states due to their strategic location and critical role in supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. Lithuania remains a key target for Russian intelligence as one of the most vocal supporters of sanctions against Moscow.
