Russia threatens Lithuania over NATO nuclear weapons

Russia said on Friday it would aim nuclear warheads at Lithuania if the Baltic state hosted weapons from the nuclear arsenals of its NATO allies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television that such a move would be “a very serious turn in terms of escalating tensions.” He said that if nuclear weapons on Lithuanian territory were aimed at Russia, “the territory of that country will fall into the crosshairs of our own nuclear weapons.”

Lithuania is moving to lift a constitutional ban on having nuclear weapons stored in the country as part of an effort to strengthen its security posture amid Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

The proposal is working its way through parliament, where it needs a two-thirds majority to pass and has the support of the president and major parties. It could come into force this winter.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced the plans in July, saying Lithuania wanted to be an “integral part of this nuclear deterrence.”