Lithuania Security Says Russian Journalists Deported for 'Hooliganism'

The Russian reporters, who were not allowed to attend a major event in Lithuania, were deported from the country after performing "hooligan actions," the chief of Lithuania's State Security Department (VSD) said on Friday.

VILNIUS (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, a crew of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) was barred from attending the third annual Russian forum organized by the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry in the Vilnius suburb of Trakai, as they were reportedly unaccredited. Shortly after, three out of four blacklisted Russian reporters left Lithuania under an order of the migration department of the Vilnius police.

"We are witnessing ongoing provocations from the [Russian] side, especially on the television. This TV broadcast is really and openly pro-Kremlin one. They are engaged in the provocations, they behave… in a provocative and sometimes hooligan-like way. I think that they are psychologically terrorizing opposition representatives, as well," Darius Jauniskis told the Baltic News Service (BNS).

Since 2014, Russia’s relations with the West have deteriorated over Crimea’s joining Russia and the Ukraine crisis. The United States and the European Union member states, including the Baltic States, have blamed Russia for interfering in Ukraine’s internal affairs, while Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations.

Last year, the Baltic States repeatedly demonstrated harsh stances towards Russian media operations. In May, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite announced amendments to the country's media law to counter what it deemed as Russian propaganda. To date, the majority of the Russian television channels have been banned in Lithuania.