Russian FSB agent tried in absentia in Lithuania for espionage

A Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) representative is being tried in absentia in Lithuania on charges of espionage. The trial, which began in the Klaipėda District Court, is proceeding without the accused's physical presence, a legal possibility in exceptional circumstances in Lithuania. A state-appointed lawyer is representing the defendant.

The prosecution alleges that the accused systematically organized and coordinated information gathering for Russia over several years, utilizing two Lithuanian citizens. The investigation, conducted by officers from the Klaipėda County Chief Police Commissariat's Organized Crime Investigation Board in cooperation with the State Security Department (VSD), revealed that the accused directed a group from 2014 to 2020. This group collected intelligence on strategically important national security objects, state institutions, border protection systems, societal processes, and individuals attending various events.

Two Lithuanian citizens who acted on the accused's instructions have already been found guilty of spying for Russia. Aleksėjus Greičius received a four-year prison sentence, while Mindaugas Tunikaitis, who confessed and expressed remorse, was sentenced to one year and six months. Tunikaitis was tasked with gathering information on state institutions and other objects of interest to Russian intelligence, photographing infrastructure, and collecting data on civil servants and event attendees. He was also instructed to acquire publications and disseminate specific information.

The court proceedings are being held behind closed doors, with the next session scheduled for September 4. The accused allegedly received monetary compensation for his tasks and employed various methods of conspiracy, including email accounts and coded correspondence, to evade law enforcement attention. The FSB officer reportedly traveled to the Kaliningrad region to meet and recruit Tunikaitis, who lived in the border region.

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The hearing was closed to the public, and it was decided to hold all court hearings in camera. The accused himself did not attend the hearing today. The prosecutor and the accused's defense lawyer were present, and it was decided to try the case in the absence of the accused, and the indictment was read out. Dates for other hearings were also agreed upon; the next hearing is scheduled for a month from now, on September 4.