Gitanas Nausėda, the President of Lithuania, reported on Friday that Poland has detained two individuals suspected of attacking Russian opposition figure Volkov in Vilnius on March 12. The BNS agency quoted the head of state’s statement. Later, Lithuanian services added that those seized were Polish citizens.
The president also thanked Lithuanian authorities and informed them that “soon, after procedural steps are taken, these individuals will be transferred to Lithuania.”
As added later by the Lithuanian police, those seized were Polish citizens.A month ago, Navalny aide @leonidvolkov was brutally attacked in Vilnius.
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) April 19, 2024
Today, I am glad to announce that suspects have been detained in Poland.
Thank you to @AndrzejDuda, 🇵🇱 and 🇱🇹law enforcement. Together we warn the organizers of the crime: do not try to repeat it!
“I don’t know any details yet, but I can say that I have seen how energetically and persistently the Lithuanian police worked on this case over the past month, and I am very happy that this work has yielded results,” Volkov wrote on platform X. “We will soon learn more details. I can't wait,” he added.
Volkov is the former chief of staff to Alexei Navalny, the leader of the Russian opposition, who died in February in a penal colony near the Arctic Circle. The attack occurred in Vilnius, the man’s residence. The assailant smashed the oppositionist’s car window, sprayed tear gas in his eyes, and then began hitting him with a hammer.
According to earlier reports from Lithuanian authorities, the attack on the oppositionist was likely orchestrated by the Kremlin’s special services through a recruited individual.Thanks a lot, Mr. President.
— Leonid Volkov (@leonidvolkov) April 19, 2024
And great thanks to Lithuanian and Polish law enforcement agencies for the tremendous work they’ve done.
It is of enormous importance to investigate and to expose all the chain-of-command from Putin to the guy with the hammer. https://t.co/Yai5DLqEN3
Volkov, based in Vilnius, has continually ‘provoked’ Russian authorities by organizing anti-Kremlin protests and advocating for Navalny’s release from prison while he was alive.
