Linas Jegelevičius
Eduardas Manovas, an 82-year-old member of Lithuania’s opposition conservative party, Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), is under investigation for allegedly spying for Russia. The investigation, which began in January 2024, has revealed that Manovas is suspected of gathering sensitive political, defence, and foreign policy information for Russia’s military intelligence (GRU), Lithuania’s prosecution and the State Security Department announced.
The news did not come as a surprise to many analysts and public life observers.
Vytautas Dumbliauskas, an associate professor at Mykolas Romeris University, expressed little surprise at the discovery of espionage activities linked to Russia, particularly in Lithuania. He likened Russia to an octopus with its “tentacles spread wide,” indicating that while the country might struggle financially in certain areas, it invests heavily in espionage operations.
“I would not rule out that there are Russian spies even in our legislature, Seimas, and other state institutions,” he emphasized to BNN.
Manovas, who holds dual Lithuanian and Russian citizenship, allegedly used complex equipment to communicate with Russian intelligence. He used special radio frequencies to send and receive encrypted messages, a method resembling espionage tactics commonly depicted in spy films. Prosecutors believe that although the information he collected was unclassified.
“It has been revealed that he gathered information that was of interest to Russia.
About the activities of political parties, the activities of exiles, Lithuania’s defence, internal, and foreign policies, preparations for exercises, defence potential, and the activities of the Lithuanian Union of Exiles and Political Prisoners,” said the Deputy Director of the State Security Department (VSD), Remigijus Bridikis. BNS, a Lithuanian newswire, and LRT.lt reported.
Reportedly, Manovas was not paid for specific operations; as a permanent employee, the Russians paid him a salary. Law enforcement has presented evidence in the case that Manovas spied for at least six years.
Espionage activities and Investigation
Manovas, a resident of Šiauliai, Lithuania’s fourth-largest city, joined the TS-LKD in 2005 and ran for a city council seat in 2011. He was also involved in the Lithuanian Union of Political Prisoners and Deportees. Authorities suspect he began spying in 2018, although it is unclear whether his activities started earlier or if he attempted to recruit others.
Prosecutors claim that Manovas had access to key leaders in the TS-LKD and government officials, which could have allowed him to gather information from the highest levels of government. However, no direct meetings with government officials or in the Seimas (Lithuanian parliament) have been recorded. The case is considered exceptional, with the State Security Department (VSD) noting that such operations are complex, costly, and require significant preparation. Typically, individuals involved in this type of espionage maintain low profiles and work covertly, the agency says.
Many people who know Manovas are stunned by the allegations he is facing.
“I knew him quite well – a normal, very active, and educated person. He rarely missed meetings of the Šiauliai branch of the Lithuanian Union of Political Prisoners and Deportees. He would drive the union’s members in his own car and photograph events,” Jonas Bartkus, a TS-LKD Councillor in the Šiauliai City Council, told BNN.
“Undoubtedly, Russia’s spy network is vast and is interested in collecting various information. The scandal has undoubtedly damaged our party, as some may now say, ‘Look, where all the spies are…’ I believe that we all must learn a lesson from this disclosure,” the politician added.
Edita Aksomaitienė, a journalist for the Šiauliai-based newspaper Šiaulių kraštas, told BNN that she had seen Manovas sitting in the front row at various events but had never had the opportunity to speak with him.
Political response and legal repercussions
The TS-LKD leadership has denied any prior knowledge of Manovas’ activities. Acting party chair Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė emphasized that the party would expel Manovas if the allegations were substantiated. She and other party members, including acting Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas, acknowledged having met Manovas at events, but they denied having communicated with him in any capacity.
“I tried to recall in my memory if I have seen him, and I would probably confirm that, on one or another occasion, at some meeting, I have seen him. But I have not communicated with him,” outgoing Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas, one of the party’s stalwarts, says.
In response to the espionage allegations, Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė ordered an investigation into the legitimacy of Manovas’ Lithuanian citizenship. If it is determined that he acquired citizenship fraudulently, it could be revoked. The Migration Department is reviewing the case, and a final decision is pending.
Broader implications
Political analyst Marius Laurinavičius stated that this case, while troubling, is likely part of a broader pattern of Russian espionage activities.
“There are undoubtedly more people like this,”
Laurinavičius told TV3.lt, suggesting that espionage is a regular aspect of Russia’s strategy and emphasizing the need for broader preparations against various forms of hybrid warfare.
This espionage case highlights ongoing security risks related to Russia’s intelligence activities in Lithuania and beyond. The incident serves as a reminder of the complex and far-reaching nature of foreign intelligence operations.
Lithuania’s intelligence services have arrested several individuals. One of the prominent figures arrested was Algirdas Paleckis, a former member of the Lithuanian parliament, who has expressed pro-Russian views and questioned Lithuania’s membership in NATO and the European Union.
Both Lithuanian officials and its citizens must remain vigilant in the face of these evolving threats, the VSD warns.