Lithuanian and Latvian presidents warned Wednesday that Russia is planning attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic states and Poland, based on intelligence reports.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said during a joint press conference in Vilnius with his Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkēvičs: "We are talking about infrastructure related to energy and transport, facilities where damage could disrupt the entire energy system," stressing that "planning for this is taking place at the highest level, specifically in Moscow."

Latvian President Rinkēvičs warned that the Baltic region, which includes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, all members of the European Union and NATO, must be prepared for Russian "provocative" moves, as Moscow seeks to "test" the alliance's mutual defense system.

He added: "Even without a full Ukrainian victory, Russia may indirectly test Article 5 and response mechanisms at both the alliance and EU levels."

These warnings come amid growing concerns among leaders on NATO's eastern flank, who believe Russia may seek to test the alliance as the war in Ukraine continues for more than four years.

In late June, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated at a press conference that "various forms of escalation can be expected in the coming weeks and months," describing the situation as "highly unstable."

Officials in the Baltic states and Poland had linked Russia to several incidents including arson, cyberattacks, and railway line diversions. The Lithuanian president confirmed that his country has strengthened protection of its transport and energy systems in response to these threats.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov flatly rejected the allegations, calling them "just another set of scare stories designed to keep the brainwashing going and prepare the population for further militarization."

Lithuania, located on the Baltic Sea and bordering Russia and Belarus, is one of the staunchest allies supporting Ukraine since the war began in 2022. It is the NATO member with the highest defense spending as a share of GDP, allocating 5.33% of its GDP to defense.