VILNIUS: Lithuania declared more than a thousand citizens of Russia and Belarus living in the country to be threats to national security on Friday and said it was stripping them of their permanent residency permits.
The decision comes after the government asked the Russians and Belarusians to answer a questionnaire that included questions about their views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the status of Crimea, the Ukrainian territory which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
Lithuania, a Baltic nation that declared its independence from the Soviet Union more than 30 years ago, is a democracy that belongs to NATO and the European Union. It has been a strong backer of Ukraine and also a place of refuge in recent years for many who have fled an authoritarian crackdown in neighboring Belarus and increased repression in Russia.
The Migration Department said Friday that it had established that 1,164 Belarusian and Russian citizens residing in Lithuania posed a threat to national security, a decision that was based on an evaluation of public and non-public information. It said 910 of those were Belarusian citizens and 254 Russian citizens.
How people answered the questionnaire was taken into consideration in deciding whether to grant or deny residence, according to the Migration Department, the government office that carried out the survey.
Those deemed to be national security threats are only a fraction of the Belarusians and Russians living in Lithuania. According to the Migration Department, more than 58,000 Belarusian citizens and 16,000 Russian citizens are currently residing in Lithuania. They are required to renew their residence permits every year to three years, depending on the application status.
Those stripped of permits can appeal the decision in court. Others will have up to a month to leave the country, according to the Migration Department.
There was no immediate reaction from the Russian or Belarusian governments.
Viktor Voroncov, a businessman who moved from Russia several years ago, learned Lithuanian and obtained citizenship, said he agreed with the move.
“I know many Russians who served in the Soviet and later in Putin’s army. They are married to Lithuanian wives, they live here, maintain close contacts with comrades in arms back in Russia and are spreading Kremlin propaganda constantly,” Voroncov said.
“Lithuania is a democratic country and tolerates different views. Even their propaganda was OK until the war started, but things have changed and they must go,” he said.
Lithuania also has an ethnic Russian minority that makes up about 5 percent of the population. They are citizens of Lithuania and were not required to answer the questionnaire.
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Lithuania declares more than 1,000 Belarusians and Russians to be national security risks
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Lithuania declares more than 1,000 Belarusians and Russians to be national security risks
- The decision comes after the government asked the Russians and Belarusians to answer a questionnaire that included questions about their views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
- Lithuania is a democracy that belongs to NATO and the European Union
Animal trafficking reaches record high in 2025: Interpol
LYON: Demand for exotic pets drove seizures of live animals to a record high in 2025, the Interpol police agency said Thursday as it announced a clampdown that led to the interception of nearly 30,000 animals.
Interpol said that wildlife crime is now an industry worth more than $20 billion a year, ranging from the movement of thousands of shark fins to banned ivory and primate meat.
In a month-long operation from September 15, law enforcement in 134 countries seized 6,160 birds, 2,040 tortoises, 1,150 reptiles, 208 primates, 46 pangolins, 10 “big cats” and 19,415 other wild animals, Interpol said in a statement. Some 1,100 suspects were detained.
It said that in Qatar, authorities detained a man seeking to sell a primate threatened with extinction for $14,000 on a social media platform. In Brazil, police identified 145 suspects as they rescued more than 200 animals, including in a crackdown on an international golden lion tamarin trafficking ring.
“A shipment from Asia intercepted at a North American mail center contained over 1,300 primate body parts including bones skulls and other derivatives,” the statement said.
Nearly 10,500 butterflies, spiders and insects were also caught in Operation Thunder 2025, highlighting the variety of species being targeted, according to Interpol.
“While live animal seizures reached a record high this year — driven largely by demand for exotic pets — most wildlife trafficking involved animal remains, parts and derivatives, often used in traditional medicine or specialty foods,” the Lyon-based agency said.
“Estimates put the annual value of wildlife crime at $20 billion, but the clandestine nature of the trade suggests that the real figure is likely much higher.”
Interpol said there was “an escalating illicit trade” in bushmeat, the term used for wild animal meat.
It said Belgian authorities intercepted “primate meat,” Kenyan officials seized over 400 kilogrammes (880 pounds) of giraffe meat and Tanzanian law enforcement recovered zebra and antelope meat and skins valued at $10,000.
“Globally, a record 5.8 tons of bushmeat was seized, with a notable increase in cases from Africa into Europe.”
The clampdown also resulted in the seizure of some 32,000 cubic meters of illegally cut wood. Interpol said that illegal forestry accounts for between 15 and 30 percent of global wood trade.
Interpol said that wildlife crime is now an industry worth more than $20 billion a year, ranging from the movement of thousands of shark fins to banned ivory and primate meat.
In a month-long operation from September 15, law enforcement in 134 countries seized 6,160 birds, 2,040 tortoises, 1,150 reptiles, 208 primates, 46 pangolins, 10 “big cats” and 19,415 other wild animals, Interpol said in a statement. Some 1,100 suspects were detained.
It said that in Qatar, authorities detained a man seeking to sell a primate threatened with extinction for $14,000 on a social media platform. In Brazil, police identified 145 suspects as they rescued more than 200 animals, including in a crackdown on an international golden lion tamarin trafficking ring.
“A shipment from Asia intercepted at a North American mail center contained over 1,300 primate body parts including bones skulls and other derivatives,” the statement said.
Nearly 10,500 butterflies, spiders and insects were also caught in Operation Thunder 2025, highlighting the variety of species being targeted, according to Interpol.
“While live animal seizures reached a record high this year — driven largely by demand for exotic pets — most wildlife trafficking involved animal remains, parts and derivatives, often used in traditional medicine or specialty foods,” the Lyon-based agency said.
“Estimates put the annual value of wildlife crime at $20 billion, but the clandestine nature of the trade suggests that the real figure is likely much higher.”
Interpol said there was “an escalating illicit trade” in bushmeat, the term used for wild animal meat.
It said Belgian authorities intercepted “primate meat,” Kenyan officials seized over 400 kilogrammes (880 pounds) of giraffe meat and Tanzanian law enforcement recovered zebra and antelope meat and skins valued at $10,000.
“Globally, a record 5.8 tons of bushmeat was seized, with a notable increase in cases from Africa into Europe.”
The clampdown also resulted in the seizure of some 32,000 cubic meters of illegally cut wood. Interpol said that illegal forestry accounts for between 15 and 30 percent of global wood trade.
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