Trial of five men accused of sending exploding parcels for Russia starts in Lithuania

Published on 17/04/2026 - 19:18 GMT+2

A Vilnius tribunal began a proceedings connected Friday into an allegedly Russia-linked lawsuit wherever parcels with exploding devices were sent to respective Western countries from Lithuania done transportation networks.

Five radical are accused of moving with Russia's subject quality bureau GRU to hole and nonstop self-igniting packages via DHL and DPD that detonated successful Germany, Poland and Britain successful 2024.

"During the hearings, data...regarding identified and wanted persons whitethorn beryllium disclosed," authoritative Šarūnas Astrauskas told the court, according to the BNS agency.

He said different members of the alleged violent radical were being sought.

In July 2024, a Lithuanian national and accomplices "used the transportation and proscription services of DHL and DPD companies and sent 4 parcels from Vilnius with homemade explosive-incendiary devices," according to the prosecutors.

A 4th parcel was intercepted by officials and did not detonate owed to a malfunction.

Investigators recovered that 2 trial parcels had been sent to the United States and Canada, portion 2 others intended for those countries were recovered successful Amsterdam.

A associated probe squad was created astatine Eurojust, consisting of Lithuania, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands and Britain and receiving enactment from Estonia, Latvia, the United States, Canada and Europol.

According to their investigation, 22 individuals are believed to person acted successful the interests of Russian quality services.

Eurojust claims the suspects were recruited done online messaging platforms, with tasks being divided among them.

Investigators judge those recruited mostly comprised poorer radical surviving successful Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and Latvia.

Five suspects are presently connected proceedings successful transportation with the sabotage lawsuit successful Poland and planetary apprehension warrants are retired for different five.

According to a study by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, Poland is the "most often targeted country" for Russian sabotage campaigns crossed Europe.

Lithuania and Germany were tied for 3rd place.