Russia has warned that Lithuania will become a target for its nuclear weapons if the Baltic state allows Nato allies to station nuclear arms on its territory. The warning, delivered by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, comes as Lithuania's parliament considers lifting a constitutional ban on hosting nuclear weapons, a move backed by the president and major parties amid heightened security concerns over Russia's war in Ukraine.

Peskov called the proposal "a very serious turn in terms of escalating tensions" and said any nuclear weapons aimed at Russia from Lithuanian soil would put the country "into the crosshairs" of Russian nuclear forces. President Gitanas Nauseda announced the plan in July, framing it as part of Lithuania's role in Nato's nuclear deterrence, though officials insist there are no current plans to actually station such weapons there. The legislation needs a two-thirds parliamentary majority and could take effect this winter. The warning follows a May incident in which a suspected drone over Vilnius triggered an emergency shelter order and forced the president and prime minister into safety, part of a wider pattern of incursions, sabotage and threats attributed to Russia across Europe.