Russia's security targets ex-KGB agents in Lithuania who haven't come forward - report

  • 2018-03-26
  • LETA/TBT Staff

VILNIUS – Russia's security is targeting public servants in Lithuania who have not declared their collaboration with the KGB, Lithuania's intelligence agencies said on Monday.

"For recruitment of Lithuanian citizens the Russian intelligence services still use the classified archives about the former KGB agents in Lithuania. Russian intelligence seeks and tries to discredit former secret KGB collaborators, who had not declared this fact, those who currently hold office in Lithuanian state institutions and possess information of interest to Russian intelligence or can influence decision making," the State Security Department and the Second Investigations Department under the Defense Ministry said in the traditional review of national security threats published on Monday.

Enforced in 2000, a law enabled former staff members and secret collaborators of the KGB and other Soviet special services to come forward and register with a special commission to have their data classified. Those who have not admitted their past risked publication and some restrictions of their professional activities. Lithuania had also provided the possibility to come forward in 1991-1992.

By the deadline, some 1,589 persons had come forward with their collaboration with secret services of the Soviet Union.

Based on the materials contained in KGB documents, a presumption is made that around 118,000 people secretly collaborated with the KGB in the 1940-1991 period.

The Lithuanian Genocide and Resistance Research Center in January completed the publication of data of registration books of archival personal data.

Historians say some of the KGB archives in Lithuania could have been destroyed, with a large portion taken to Russia.

According to the report of threats, Russian security often target Lithuanian businessmen visiting or working in Russia, diplomats, law enforcement and public servants, other Lithuanian citizens with political and business connections who could be pitched by way of blackmailing and provocations over tax evasion or concealed sensitive personal information.

Lithuanian officers say they have observed a trend for Russian security to target Lithuanian citizens who do not possess substantial intelligence possibilities or access to classified information, and who arrive to Russia for private purposes.

"Russian intelligence exploits them not only for intelligence collection but also for other intelligence activities, like spread of propaganda or communication with Russian security agents," reads the report of threats.