Mourning wreaths placed at arms firms supplying Ukraine across EU
Lithuanian authorities announced that police have detained a suspect connected to the Vilnius incident (Photo: REUTERS/Ints Kalnins)
Mourning wreaths and black-ribbon portraits of corporate executives were placed outside defense contractors in Lithuania and Czechia in a coordinated Russian provocation, portal Delfi reported on Aug. 30.
In Vilnius, multiple funeral wreaths were set up outside the headquarters of RSI Europe, a manufacturer specializing in uncrewed aerial systems. A portrait of CEO Tomas Milašauskas draped in a mourning ribbon was placed adjacent to the wreaths.
Milašauskas, who is alive and well, characterized the incident as an unsubtle attempt at Russian intimidation.
"We are not afraid. This is typical intimidation, a provocation, and standard Russian operating procedure," he said.
"Our reaction is entirely routine — we continue working without reacting or getting distracted, because their objective is specifically to divert our attention and channel it where it does not belong."
He added that, while this exact form of physical provocation is unprecedented, earlier efforts to disrupt operations have occurred, notably through cyberattacks.
Nearly simultaneously, funeral wreaths appeared outside the corporate offices of defense conglomerate Czechoslovak Group (CSG) in Czechia, alongside a portrait of executive David Čour.
Lithuanian authorities announced that police have detained a suspect connected to the Vilnius incident and launched a pre-trial investigation. Preliminary findings indicate the detained individual is a Ukrainian national who was allegedly recruited to deliver the funeral wreaths by a Belarusian citizen.
RSI Europe supplies the Ukrainian Armed Forces with FPV strike drones and remote detonation systems. The Czech firm CSG manufactures artillery ammunition and heavy military hardware, having established domestic production of large-caliber artillery shells inside Ukraine in 2025.
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