Kathrine Frich
Police, helicopters, and sniffer dogs were immediately deployed but found no trace.
Police, helicopters, and sniffer dogs were immediately deployed but found no trace.
Escapes Sealed Train in NATO Territory
Lithuanian police have launched a high-stakes manhunt after a 21-year-old Russian man, identified only as Daniil M, escaped from a “sealed” high-security train transiting through the NATO state.
The train, legally transporting Russian citizens from Belarus to Kaliningrad, became the scene of an international incident.
Manhunt Launched After Disappearance
Authorities were stunned when the young man vanished shortly before the train arrived at Kybartai station, near the border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region.
A train conductor reported an open door just 25 minutes before arrival, by then, Daniil was gone.
Police, helicopters, and sniffer dogs were immediately deployed but found no trace.
Border Security Blunder? Only a Door Left Behind
Lithuania’s state security service confirmed that Daniil had valid transit papers and was legally on the train, but his sudden disappearance has raised serious security questions.
“All that was found was an opened door,” said security chief Giedrius Mišutis.
Surveillance of the train was supposed to prevent exactly this kind of escape.
Russian Media Slams Lithuania
Kremlin-linked outlet Baltnews was quick to pounce, accusing Lithuania of incompetence.
“It is very difficult to find other reasons for the failure of all Lithuanian state services to detect a 21-year-old Russian citizen,” the report read, claiming the escape exposes NATO security vulnerabilities.
Trains Under Tight Controls
Due to a 2003 agreement, Russian citizens are allowed to travel via Lithuania between mainland Russia and Kaliningrad.
However, these trains are meant to be tightly monitored.
Passengers are not allowed to disembark, and the carriages are kept sealed, making Daniil’s escape all the more mysterious.
Was It a Spy Mission or a Desperate Escape?
While Russian media insists Daniil was just looking for a “better life,” the escape has sparked fears of covert Russian operations inside NATO countries.
Lithuanian officials haven’t confirmed espionage but remain on high alert amid heightened regional tensions over the war in Ukraine.
Fugitive Still at Large as Authorities Face Embarrassment
Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovic acknowledged the failure: “Trains naturally slow in certain places… the person most likely took the opportunity to jump.”
With the fugitive still missing and no official explanation for the security lapse, questions are mounting over how a potential Russian agent vanished into the EU.
