Lithuania Sees Russia’s Attempt to Redraw Sea Boarders as a Threat to Regional Security

Earlier, on May 21, Russia issued a decree attempting to change the maritime borders in the Baltic Sea. According to Lithuanian National Radio and Television, Vilnius condemns the move as an escalation.

Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Wednesday morning May 22, seeing these actions as a deliberate and targeted provocation, intended to intimidate neighboring countries and their populations.

“This action serves as further evidence that Russia’s aggressive and revisionist policies threaten the security of neighboring countries and Europe as a whole,” according to a statement from the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry.

The ministry further announced that the Russian ambassador will be summoned today for a detailed explanation. Lithuania will coordinate its response with its partners.

Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also commented on Moscow’s move.

“The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea outlines procedures for defining and revising maritime zones of coastal states,” Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen wrote on her Twitter (X) account.

“We expect Russia, as a party to the convention, to act in accordance with those procedures. It’s important to remember that sowing confusion is also a tactic of hybrid warfare. Finland will not be intimidated.”

The timing of Russia’s proposal, coinciding with nuclear drills in Russia, raises further concerns. The document on the revision of the borders was presented almost at the same time as Russia started tactical nuclear weapons drills beginning of May.