On January 7, 2026, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė publicly condemned private messages by Russian opposition activist Leonid Volkov, living in Lithuania, in which he welcomed the death of a far-right militant fighting in Ukraine and criticized senior Ukrainian officials. The Prime Minister described Volkov's statements as unacceptable and questioned his right to remain in Lithuania. Lithuania’s State Security Department was instructed to investigate whether Volkov’s remarks pose a threat to national security, with the Migration Department to decide on revoking his temporary residence permit based on this probe. Volkov later expressed regret for his messages, calling them foolish and emotionally harsh. Volkov currently holds a temporary residence permit but this could be revoked under Lithuanian law if deemed a national security risk. This case illustrates Lithuania’s legal and security efforts to manage potential internal threats linked to Russia’s hybrid influence tactics. The State Security Department warned hostile regimes may exploit such rhetoric for propaganda. Volkov had previously been attacked near his Vilnius home in 2024, allegedly for his opposition stance.

On January 7, 2026, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė publicly condemned private messages by Russian opposition activist Leonid Volkov, living in Lithuania, in which he welcomed the death of a far-right militant fighting in Ukraine and criticized senior Ukrainian officials. The Prime Minister described Volkov's statements as unacceptable and questioned his right to remain in Lithuania. Lithuania’s State Security Department was instructed to investigate whether Volkov’s remarks pose a threat to national security, with the Migration Department to decide on revoking his temporary residence permit based on this probe. Volkov later expressed regret for his messages, calling them foolish and emotionally harsh. Volkov currently holds a temporary residence permit but this could be revoked under Lithuanian law if deemed a national security risk. This case illustrates Lithuania’s legal and security efforts to manage potential internal threats linked to Russia’s hybrid influence tactics. The State Security Department warned hostile regimes may exploit such rhetoric for propaganda. Volkov had previously been attacked near his Vilnius home in 2024, allegedly for his opposition stance.