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Signal
Submitted
Feb 1, 2026, 00:14 UTC
Lithuania revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian and Belarusian citizens residing in Lithuania, following a parliamentary decision made a year and a half ago to ban such possession.
Following a parliamentary decision made approximately 18 months ago, Lithuania revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian and Belarusian citizens living in Lithuania. As of the end of 2022, 294 Russians and 46 Belarusians held permits to keep or carry weapons before the amendment was adopted. All these permits have now been revoked. Two individuals have not yet returned their weapons, but Lithuanian Police have contacted them and will seize the weapons upon their return. At the beginning of 2024, all affected individuals were informed in writing about the option to voluntarily sell or hand over weapons by April 1. Most complied, and remaining weapons were taken by police after the deadline. No weapons were confiscated forcibly; most have been sold or handed over to gun shops for consignment. The ban was initiated by then-chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence and Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas, aiming to prevent formation and activities of subversive groups favoring hostile states.
Confidence: High
This event is classified as a defense preparation because it involves Lithuania's government revoking weapon permits as a defensive measure to prevent hostile influence and subversive activity by Russian and Belarusian citizens living in the country. There is no indication of aggressor hostile action involved.
Source URL
https://lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2282822/lithuania-revokes-all-weapon-permits-issued-to-russian-belarusian-citizens
Published as a Defense Preparations signal with a public source and reviewer-approved assessment bands. See the methodology for how records are assessed.
{
"id": "12d8f91a-202a-4bca-9ee3-55e80ad1da94",
"url": "https://lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2282822/lithuania-revokes-all-weapon-permits-issued-to-russian-belarusian-citizens",
"source": "csv-import",
"status": "approved",
"category": "Political & Legal Subversion",
"subcategory": "Lawfare & Legal Pressure",
"incident_type": "Exploiting international law & treaties",
"country": "Lithuania",
"source_reliability": "C",
"info_credibility": "3",
"tags": [
"Lithuania",
"weapon permit revocation",
"Russian citizens",
"Belarusian citizens",
"firearms control",
"political and legal subversion",
"hostile state prevention",
"Defense Ministry"
],
"nodes": [],
"countries": [],
"where_text": "Land",
"headline": "Lithuania revokes all weapon permits issued to Russian, Belarusian citizens",
"description": "Following the parliament’s decision a year and a half ago to ban Russian and Belarusian citizens living in Lithuania from possessing weapons, all permits issued to them have been revoked. According to the Police Department, 294 Russian and 46 Belarusian citizens held permits to keep or carry weapons at the end of 2022 when the amendment was adopted, and all of these permits have since been revoked. Two individuals have not yet returned their weapons but have been contacted and will have them taken upon their return. A written notification was sent to all affected persons at the beginning of the year about the possibility to voluntarily hand over or sell their weapons by April 1, most complied with this, and the remainder's weapons were collected by police after the deadline. No weapons were forcibly confiscated. The ban was initiated by Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas and is expected to help prevent formation and activities of subversive groups favoring hostile states.",
"summary_short": "Lithuania revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian and Belarusian citizens residing in Lithuania, following a parliamentary decision made a year and a half ago to ban such possession.",
"summary_extended": "Following a parliamentary decision made approximately 18 months ago, Lithuania revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian and Belarusian citizens living in Lithuania. As of the end of 2022, 294 Russians and 46 Belarusians held permits to keep or carry weapons before the amendment was adopted. All these permits have now been revoked. Two individuals have not yet returned their weapons, but Lithuanian Police have contacted them and will seize the weapons upon their return. At the beginning of 2024, all affected individuals were informed in writing about the option to voluntarily sell or hand over weapons by April 1. Most complied, and remaining weapons were taken by police after the deadline. No weapons were confiscated forcibly; most have been sold or handed over to gun shops for consignment. The ban was initiated by then-chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence and Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas, aiming to prevent formation and activities of subversive groups favoring hostile states.",
"actor_primary": "Laurynas Kasčiūnas",
"target_primary": null,
"location_text": null,
"location_region": null,
"location_coordinates_lat": null,
"location_coordinates_lon": null,
"location_precision": "Unknown",
"is_aggressor_signal": false,
"signal_type": "DEFENSE_PREP_SIGNAL",
"is_hybrid_war_signal": true,
"classification_complete": true,
"hybrid_signal_complete": true,
"classification_confidence": "High",
"classification_rationale": "This event is classified as a defense preparation because it involves Lithuania's government revoking weapon permits as a defensive measure to prevent hostile influence and subversive activity by Russian and Belarusian citizens living in the country. There is no indication of aggressor hostile action involved.",
"event_time_utc": "2024-05-27T00:00:00.000Z",
"end_time_utc": null,
"event_time_confidence": "pm24h",
"created_at": "2026-02-01T00:14:24.733Z",
"updated_at": "2026-11-09T01:16:34.130Z",
"reliability_band": "strong",
"location_precision_band": "unknown",
"time_precision_band": "within_24h",
"severity_band": "minor",
"attribution_confidence_band": "high",
"attribution_basis": "single_source"
}Source reliability
C
Info credibility
3
Event time
May 27, 2024, 00:00 UTC
Event time confidence
pm24h
Location
Land
Primary actor
Laurynas Kasčiūnas
Country
Lithuania
Tags
Lithuania, weapon permit revocation, Russian citizens, Belarusian citizens, firearms control, political and legal subversion, hostile state prevention, Defense Ministry
Signal
Submitted
Feb 1, 2026, 00:14 UTC
Lithuania revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian and Belarusian citizens residing in Lithuania, following a parliamentary decision made a year and a half ago to ban such possession.
Following a parliamentary decision made approximately 18 months ago, Lithuania revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian and Belarusian citizens living in Lithuania. As of the end of 2022, 294 Russians and 46 Belarusians held permits to keep or carry weapons before the amendment was adopted. All these permits have now been revoked. Two individuals have not yet returned their weapons, but Lithuanian Police have contacted them and will seize the weapons upon their return. At the beginning of 2024, all affected individuals were informed in writing about the option to voluntarily sell or hand over weapons by April 1. Most complied, and remaining weapons were taken by police after the deadline. No weapons were confiscated forcibly; most have been sold or handed over to gun shops for consignment. The ban was initiated by then-chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence and Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas, aiming to prevent formation and activities of subversive groups favoring hostile states.
Confidence: High
This event is classified as a defense preparation because it involves Lithuania's government revoking weapon permits as a defensive measure to prevent hostile influence and subversive activity by Russian and Belarusian citizens living in the country. There is no indication of aggressor hostile action involved.
Source URL
https://lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2282822/lithuania-revokes-all-weapon-permits-issued-to-russian-belarusian-citizens
Published as a Defense Preparations signal with a public source and reviewer-approved assessment bands. See the methodology for how records are assessed.
{
"id": "12d8f91a-202a-4bca-9ee3-55e80ad1da94",
"url": "https://lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2282822/lithuania-revokes-all-weapon-permits-issued-to-russian-belarusian-citizens",
"source": "csv-import",
"status": "approved",
"category": "Political & Legal Subversion",
"subcategory": "Lawfare & Legal Pressure",
"incident_type": "Exploiting international law & treaties",
"country": "Lithuania",
"source_reliability": "C",
"info_credibility": "3",
"tags": [
"Lithuania",
"weapon permit revocation",
"Russian citizens",
"Belarusian citizens",
"firearms control",
"political and legal subversion",
"hostile state prevention",
"Defense Ministry"
],
"nodes": [],
"countries": [],
"where_text": "Land",
"headline": "Lithuania revokes all weapon permits issued to Russian, Belarusian citizens",
"description": "Following the parliament’s decision a year and a half ago to ban Russian and Belarusian citizens living in Lithuania from possessing weapons, all permits issued to them have been revoked. According to the Police Department, 294 Russian and 46 Belarusian citizens held permits to keep or carry weapons at the end of 2022 when the amendment was adopted, and all of these permits have since been revoked. Two individuals have not yet returned their weapons but have been contacted and will have them taken upon their return. A written notification was sent to all affected persons at the beginning of the year about the possibility to voluntarily hand over or sell their weapons by April 1, most complied with this, and the remainder's weapons were collected by police after the deadline. No weapons were forcibly confiscated. The ban was initiated by Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas and is expected to help prevent formation and activities of subversive groups favoring hostile states.",
"summary_short": "Lithuania revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian and Belarusian citizens residing in Lithuania, following a parliamentary decision made a year and a half ago to ban such possession.",
"summary_extended": "Following a parliamentary decision made approximately 18 months ago, Lithuania revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian and Belarusian citizens living in Lithuania. As of the end of 2022, 294 Russians and 46 Belarusians held permits to keep or carry weapons before the amendment was adopted. All these permits have now been revoked. Two individuals have not yet returned their weapons, but Lithuanian Police have contacted them and will seize the weapons upon their return. At the beginning of 2024, all affected individuals were informed in writing about the option to voluntarily sell or hand over weapons by April 1. Most complied, and remaining weapons were taken by police after the deadline. No weapons were confiscated forcibly; most have been sold or handed over to gun shops for consignment. The ban was initiated by then-chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence and Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas, aiming to prevent formation and activities of subversive groups favoring hostile states.",
"actor_primary": "Laurynas Kasčiūnas",
"target_primary": null,
"location_text": null,
"location_region": null,
"location_coordinates_lat": null,
"location_coordinates_lon": null,
"location_precision": "Unknown",
"is_aggressor_signal": false,
"signal_type": "DEFENSE_PREP_SIGNAL",
"is_hybrid_war_signal": true,
"classification_complete": true,
"hybrid_signal_complete": true,
"classification_confidence": "High",
"classification_rationale": "This event is classified as a defense preparation because it involves Lithuania's government revoking weapon permits as a defensive measure to prevent hostile influence and subversive activity by Russian and Belarusian citizens living in the country. There is no indication of aggressor hostile action involved.",
"event_time_utc": "2024-05-27T00:00:00.000Z",
"end_time_utc": null,
"event_time_confidence": "pm24h",
"created_at": "2026-02-01T00:14:24.733Z",
"updated_at": "2026-11-09T01:16:34.130Z",
"reliability_band": "strong",
"location_precision_band": "unknown",
"time_precision_band": "within_24h",
"severity_band": "minor",
"attribution_confidence_band": "high",
"attribution_basis": "single_source"
}Source reliability
C
Info credibility
3
Event time
May 27, 2024, 00:00 UTC
Event time confidence
pm24h
Location
Land
Primary actor
Laurynas Kasčiūnas
Country
Lithuania
Tags
Lithuania, weapon permit revocation, Russian citizens, Belarusian citizens, firearms control, political and legal subversion, hostile state prevention, Defense Ministry