Tensions along the NATO-Russia axis have escalated sharply in recent hours. The Lithuanian parliament (Seimas) officially announced plans this winter to lift the constitutional ban on deploying nuclear weapons on its territory. The news from Vilnius was met with a furious reaction from Moscow. The Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev issued an unprecedented threat, vowing that Russia would “wipe Lithuania off the map of the world”. Medvedev categorically added that, according to Russian analyses, NATO would not stand up for its member state by activating Article 5 if a real military conflict were to occur on its territory, as this would mean a “global, planetary catastrophe“.
At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a direct warning to Western capitals that a possible deployment of European troops in Ukraine would mean Europe's direct entry into war with Russia. More details about the Kremlin's statements are reported by the TASS news agency (tass.ru). Putin added that such steps are an attempt to “finish“ of the Russian Federation through the use of the neo-fascist regime in Ukraine.
🔎 Historical Context of the Lithuanian Constitution
The decision of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Law Enforcement of the Seimas of Lithuania to approve (with 7 votes “for“ against 2 “against“) the repeal of Article 137 of the Fundamental Law is a historical precedent. This particular article, which prohibits weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases, was adopted immediately after the restoration of Lithuania's independence, when there were still Russian occupation troops on its territory. According to the Speaker of the Seimas, today this restriction makes Lithuania look like a “white crow in the context of NATO“ given the increased threats. However, to completely lift the ban, at least 94 votes are required in parliament in two separate votes three months apart. The political move follows the example of Finland, which also recently lifted similar domestic bans, opening the door to a NATO nuclear deterrent.
📊 Drone Incident Locations in Romania
Meanwhile, the conflict continues to leave a physical mark on the Alliance's borders. In Romania, in the immediate vicinity of the border with Ukraine, fragments of a total of four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were found on Friday in the territories of Constanta and Tulcea counties, as well as in the Black Sea. The official report of the Romanian Ministry of Defense (mapn.ro) indicates that some of the drones were carrying explosive charges (including an interceptor drone with an unexploded projectile), but all the remains were successfully neutralized by specialized teams without risk to the population. Separately, in the area of Corbu beach, tourists found one-liter fragments of a drone wing, which fortunately did not contain explosives. The independent report by maritime analytics company Ambrey (ambrey.com) warns of a sharp increase in military debris in Romanian, Bulgarian and Turkish waters, with unmanned systems already overtaking sea mines as the main risk to shipping in the Black Sea.
➡️ NATO's position
Although Medvedev claims that Western allies will not intervene, the official discourse in Brussels remains firmly committed to collective defense. Bucharest has already informed NATO allied structures about another violation of Alliance airspace by Russian drones. The Alliance is expected to step up air patrols and Electronic Warfare (EW) missions on the Eastern Flank to minimize the risk to civilian and critical energy infrastructure in the Black Sea.