Lithuanian president defends intelligence services after Leipzig drone incident

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has strongly defended his country's intelligence services against criticism following an incident in Leipzig, Germany, where a drone carrying explosives was discovered. The president asserted that Lithuanian services are actively engaged in identifying and disrupting such threats, despite persistent efforts by adversaries.

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You know, this is a constant race against obstacles. And you cannot say that our services are not working – they are working, they are uncovering hiding places, identifying the locations of those hiding places.

Reports indicate that DNA traces found on the Leipzig drone match those previously detected in Lithuania. This connection has been linked to earlier incidents, including an arson attack at a DHL logistics center in Leipzig in July 2024. German newspaper "Die Zeit" reported that the drone, found near a Ukrainian transport plane, also had explosive devices and a detonator.

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But the thing is that the other side is constantly making efforts and constantly trying to recruit people or find new places to supply drones or explosive components where they are destined – in this case, we are talking about Germany.

Nausėda acknowledged the continuous challenges posed by external actors attempting to establish and maintain logistical chains for supplying components, such as drones and explosives, to Ukraine. He stated that these efforts are not confined to Lithuania but involve other Baltic states, Poland, and further EU countries. "We are all fighting against this, but the point is that the other side is always making efforts to preserve this logistical chain," he told LRT television.

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We are all fighting against this, but the point is that the other side is always making efforts to preserve this logistical chain.

Despite these ongoing challenges, the president insisted that Lithuanian services are not idle. "But the thing is that the other side is constantly making efforts and constantly trying to recruit people or find new places to supply drones or explosive components where they are destined – in this case, we are talking about Germany," he added. He firmly rejected any claims that the services are sleeping or failing to act, stating, "They are certainly doing it."

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It's not an easy job, but I will certainly not agree with the assertion that our services are sleeping, not seeing, not preventing, not finding, they are certainly doing it.