MOSCOW, 15 December (BelTA) –Lithuania is not acting in the interests of its people, but is taking orders from other countries, official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova told a briefing on 15 December, BelTA has learned.
Maria Zakharova was asked to comment on the recent statement by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin who said that Lithuania is a ‘beacon of democracy' and that the USA is going to strengthen the Lithuanian Armed Forces to fight Russia, Belarus and China.
“Apparently, the light of this beacon went down during a storm, if we look at what is happening in this country,” she noted with irony. “And the following is happening: Lithuania's crackdown on dissent has been increasing in recent years. Lithuania uses its special services and the government-controlled justice for this. We have cited a lot of examples, and we do it regularly. We have witnessed the Lithuanian border guards behaving in a barbaric and cruel manner towards refugees. Is it appropriate to pour arms into a state that is treating human beings in such a way? I think let this question be answered by the rest of ‘champions of democracy' who believe that their lights are still on,” Maria Zakharova added.
Why is Lithuania being militarized now, Maria Zakharova wondered. “Lithuania's leadership continues to whip up hysteria about an alleged Russian aggression,” the spokeswoman said. “They are simply doing the bidding of other states to contain our country. In a while they've joined the similar rhetoric against China. Where are the Baltic states and where is China? In respect of Russia they've motivated some of their claims by a certain historical background. But they cannot play this card with respect to China. Yet, they claim that China is threatening them as well. It is clear that they are doing someone's bidding. The political establishment of these states is being used as a tool."
"They have made a choice in favor of endless aggressive rhetoric which is not in the interests of their country, their own people. They are simply doing what they are told to do by other structures and other countries. Another question, which, as I understand will remain rhetorical as well, is whether Lithuanian citizens benefit from it all?" Maria Zakharova asked.
