Lithuanian party expels member suspected of spying for Russia

The Lithuanian conservatives from the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats have expelled a member involved in an investigation into potential espionage for Russia.

Source: Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The party announced the expulsion of Eduard Manov from its ranks as a pre-trial investigation into whether he spied on behalf of Russia has been completed.

Manov, who holds both Russian and Lithuanian citizenship, was a member of the party's Šauliai branch and also participated in organisations of Russians in exile.

According to the investigation, Manov had been collecting and transmitting intelligence to Russia's Main Directorate of the General Staff (GRU) since 2018.

Lithuania's Department of State Security noted that although the intelligence collected by the suspect was not classified, it could still be useful to Russia and was related to political matters.

Background: 

• In November, two Italians were charged with collaborating with Russian secret services.
• In Romania, the trial of a Colombian citizen accused of preparing acts of sabotage on Russia's orders is set to begin.

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