The European border is under tension in Lithuania since Russia is accused of preparing an offensive in Ukraine. Report on the border with Belarus, an allied country of Moscow, where the Russian army began maneuvers on Wednesday.
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At the end of a snowy Lithuanian road, lined with conifers, there is Belarus. “From here we are about ten kilometers”, explains Stasé. She lives in Rudnia, one of the last villages before the border. She grew up in the USSR, then made her life in Lithuania after the country’s independence, more than thirty years ago: “I speak perfect Russian but more Lithuanian, anyway.“ Today, she fears again for her freedom and safety. “Anything is possible and it’s scary because they’re armed to the teeth and we’re not as well equipped”, says Stasé.
Map >> Crisis between Ukraine and Russia: where are the military forces deployed in Eastern Europe?
The Baltic countries are on the front line against the Russian threat and they are preparing. On Wednesday, January 25, American combat planes landed on an air base in Estonia and on Thursday, four F-16 fighters are made available to NATO in Lithuania in the event of an attack. Lithuania shares around 700 km of border with Belarus where the Russian army began maneuvers on Wednesday. For his part, Stasé is worried: “If one day they send their bomb and we don’t wake up… I don’t trust the Russians or the Belarusians. I suspect them of wanting to recover the Baltic countries again.”
“I always wanted Lithuania to be a free and independent state surrounded by friendly countries. You know, history and politics are always a bag of knots.”
Stasé, inhabitant of Rudniaat franceinfo
The closest threat is just 50 kilometers south of the border, with the Belarusian military base in Grodno. A little over a week ago, the Lithuanian Parliament authorized the retention of a thousand soldiers alongside the border guards, led by General Rustamas Liubajevas: “It’s a kind of blackmail, explains the officer. The difficult economic situation in Russia forces the Kremlin to do what it can to show its citizens that it is NATO’s fault. A method that is often used by many diets. It is very difficult to explain to the population why they are experiencing social and economic problems. We have serious doubts about the solidity of the foundations that have allowed Putin to stay in power for so long.”
Vladimir Poutine and Russia require in particular the end of the operations of NATO in the countries of the East. In response, Lithuania appealed to the United States for a permanent military presence.