Vaidas Saldziunas, Author at the Lithuania Tribune

Russian ambassador: Lithuania owes Russia 72 billion US dollars

June 9, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

After another May passed placing a flower crown placed near the monument commemorating those that had perished during Lithuania’s road to freedom, with the before mentioned action the Russian ambassador to Lithuania Alexander Udaltsov raised quite a few eyebrows: could the denier of Lithuania’s occupation, Moscow have changed its mind and is finally admitting the historic fact with all of its potential consequences? The newest interview with the Russian Ambassador to Lithuania dispelled such hopes. […]

Commander of Norwegian tank platoon knows what she would do if she saw Russian tanks in Lithuania

June 2, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

Reis opp, Tiden er inne! (Norwegian: “Get up, the time is now!”). Lt. Silje Johansen Willassen would use this slogan to motivate her 15 soldiers from the mechanized infantry company before battle, which is deployed […]

Jevgenijus Denisovas at Nemenčinė forest

ARAS warning after Nemenčinė incident: don’t play war games in Lithuanian forests

May 26, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

Sunday morning at the Nemenčinė forest, a 12-person group gathers. It could be noted that some men are wearing the Russian model masked uniforms and are armed with the Russian machine guns. After getting signals from worried citizens, the police responds immediately, anti-terrorist operations team ARAS fighters come and detain potentially dangerous individuals. […]

US missiles “Patriot” in Lithuania: why Vilnius was happy and Kremlin furious?

May 12, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

US Secretary of Defence James Mattis, who came for a visit to Lithuania, was reluctant to talk about the possibility to deploy air defence systems “Patriot” of Lithuania. However, unnamed officials still admitted that these […]

Bold journalistic experiment with Russian TV propaganda channel left a bitter taste in mouth

May 12, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

The border is crossed by masked men in camouflage uniforms, the first wall of the border gives up without a fight. This is how Ala Davidova, a reporter of the Kremlin-controlled channel NTV, begins her […]

The 'green little men' exercise in Šalčininkai

Report on ‘little green men’ in Šalčininkai is out: it won‘t be funny for those who laugh at us

May 11, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

The routines in Šalčininkai was disrupted by an unprecedented commotion on the 11th of April. Men armed with guns stormed the city police station, took over a part of it stunning the officials and local residents. […]

Russia's Ambassador A. Udaltsov at the monument to the Lithuanian freedom fighters

Bizzare Russian Embassy behaviour left Lithuanians puzzled: it’s the 1st time they’ve acted this way

May 10, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

The majority of Russians celebrate May 9th which is a Victory day: Moscow is shaken by a massive military parade and crowds of people go to the cemetery to lay flowers on military graves of […]

Russia has issued impressive bill to Lithuania for Soviet times

May 8, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

Back in the spring of 2000, Lithuania adopted a law obliging to ask Russia to compensate the damages done during 1940-1990 period Soviet occupation and it was estimated to about 23 billion Euros. Moscow was […]

Supporter of the „Islamic State“ was detained, tens more are being watched

April 6, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

In the report of threats to the national security only few of the 38 pages are dedicated to terrorism. It has stated that last year the threat of terrorism in Europe was huge and the […]

Lieutenant Colonel Christoph Huber, the commander of the NATO battalion

Another information attack against NATO troops in Lithuania – German battalion leader in the crosshair

March 31, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

Yet another information attack has been launched against the German led international battalion stationed in Lithuania. Members of the Seimas Committee of National Security and Defence (NSGK) received letters presenting yet another fraudulent story – supposedly the head of the NATO contingent, Lt. Col. Christoph Huber is a Russian agent. […]

Famous German politician admits – we were mistaken over Russia

March 29, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

Several years ago German MEP Rebecca Harms did not think that specifically she will become one of the most outspoken critics of Vladimir Putin when it comes to questions of European security. Now, however, the […]

VSD conclusions on Bastys only top of the iceberg. Who else is suspect of links to Russia?

March 13, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

After the State Security Department (VSD) refused to grant Mindaugas Bastys a permit to work with classified information due to his suspicious links to Russian energy industry companies, Kremlin propagandists and criminals, there have been […]

Lithuanian decision causes hysteria in Russia – the reaction poses a real threat

January 26, 2017 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

„Lithuania will build a wall and Russia will pay for it,“ so sounds a joke paraphrasing of US President Donald Trump‘s pledge to build a border wall with Mexico for which the Mexicans would pay […]

Kremlin‘s mouthpiece found a way to reach non-Russian speaking Lithuanian youth

December 20, 2016 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

Seen as one of the most important Russian financed propaganda channels, the news agency Sputnik has so far been releasing their reports in more than thirty languages. The two year old Kremlin information project will be releasing “diverse opinions” in Lithuanian from now on as well, states is website. […]

Two signals from Donald Trump to the Baltics that Russia won’t like

December 8, 2016 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

After Donald Trump was elected President of the United States there were numerous concerns that the new master of the White House will be inclined toward pro-Russian policy – financial links to Moscow and the Kremlin’s praise to the President Elect were concerning. However D. Trump’s statement and decisions show that Russia celebrated too early and could be greatly disappointed. […]

US Marine colonel, Darius Novickis at Cathedral Sq. Vilnius

Lithuanian speaking Marine in love with the homeland of his parents

December 5, 2016 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

US Marines are rare guests in Lithuania. However, this year among those several hundred, who participated in international exercise Iron Sword 2016, one met a Marine colonel, who impressed locals not only by his impressive height and stern look, but also with his name and fluent Lithuanian language skills. […]

Ričardas Pocius, head of Lithuania's internal security services

Loyal to Moscow or Lithuania? Investigators probe police and army officers

July 14, 2016 Vaidas Saldziunas 0

Eight months ago Lithuania was shaken by a scandal caused by the then Public Security Service (VST) leader Ričardas Pocius. Following such declarations there were many pledges to take action, investigations were announced but what has changed since that noise died down? […]