Dmitry Medvedev warns Lithuania could disappear from the map

Former Russian President and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has issued a warning that Lithuania could ‘disappear from the map of the world’ in the event of a conflict.

Medvedev’s rhetoric follows moves by Vilnius to amend its constitution to potentially allow the deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory. During a visit to Russia’s Northwestern Federal District, Medvedev claimed that NATO allies would not intervene to defend Lithuania, arguing that invoking Article 5 would lead to a ‘global, planetary catastrophe.’ He asserted that no other nations would fight for the Baltic state and that the collective defense mechanism of the alliance would not be applied in such a scenario.

These statements, which were captured in a video shared on the Max platform and reported by Interfax, Kommersant, and Vedomosti, represent a significant escalation in Russian rhetoric regarding Baltic security and NATO’s collective defense obligations.