Baltic States and Poland Alert NATO to Potential Russian Threats

WHO:

ABC News - Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausėda stated that intelligence suggests potential Russian attacks.

ABC News - Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs warned about possible Russian provocations against NATO.

ABC News - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized the seriousness of the warnings regarding Russian threats.

ABC News - Gen. Raimundas Vaikšnoras is Lithuania's chief of defense.

WHAT:

ABC News - Lithuania's president indicated that Russia is planning attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic states or Poland.

ABC News - The three Baltic states and Poland have strengthened security around key transport and energy infrastructure.

ABC News - Poland intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea that were conducting surveillance.

ABC News - The European Union reported that Russia’s FSB Center 16 conducted cyberespionage and sabotage against critical infrastructure across Europe.

WHERE:

ABC News - The Baltic states include Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, along with Poland, located on NATO's eastern flank.

ABC News - The interception of Russian aircraft occurred over the Baltic Sea.

ABC News - A Polish combined heat and power plant was attacked, supplying heat to almost 500,000 customers.

WHEN:

ABC News - The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia began on February 24, 2022.

ABC News - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk made statements on July 3 regarding the warnings.

ABC News - A report indicated that Russia likely used shadow ships to launch drones over Europe between 2024 and 2026.

WHY:

ABC News - Lithuania's president mentioned that the intelligence concerns limited kinetic operations likely targeting critical infrastructure.

ABC News - Latvian President Rinkēvičs suggested that Russia might respond to Ukraine's effectiveness with provocations against NATO.

ABC News - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the warnings as a pretext for NATO's military buildup.

HOW:

ABC News - Lithuania's military deployed additional forces to protect strategic infrastructure in response to concerns over Russian provocations.

ABC News - Poland is preparing for various scenarios in light of the warnings about potential Russian attacks.

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 15:24 UTC)

Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausėda has indicated that intelligence suggests Russia is planning attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic states and Poland, prompting heightened security measures in the region. Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized the seriousness of these warnings, noting that Poland has intercepted Russian aircraft conducting surveillance over the Baltic Sea. In response to these threats, Lithuania's military has deployed additional forces to protect strategic infrastructure, while Poland is preparing for various scenarios amid concerns about potential Russian provocations.