Wagner may try to test West's response by attacking Baltics – Lithuanian president's aide

VILNIUS – Russia's mercenary group Wagner may try to test Western defense mechanisms by attacking the Baltic states, Kestutis Budrys, President Gitanas Nauseda's chief national security advisor, has said. 

"To answer your question, yes, they can test the (West's) response mechanisms and give the Kremlin a political opportunity to say that it has nothing to do with that. As is happening in Africa," he said in an interview with Delfi. 

The advisor said so when asked if Russia could carry out a provocation in the Baltic countries using Wagner-type groups.

The Russian mercenary group has been involved in the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.

Wagner is increasingly present in francophone Africa, with Western countries saying the group has deployed its mercenaries in Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic and Mali.