Support The Moscow Times!

Lithuanian News Site Threatened With Hebdo-Style Attack

The office of popular Lithuanian news site Delfi.lt was evacuated Thursday after its editor-in-chief received a threatening letter saying her office would be massacred like the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly in Paris.

Addressed to editor-in-chief Monika Garbaciauskaite-Budriene, the letter — which was handwritten in Russian and enclosed with a suspicious powder — featured a sketch of a grave bearing the editor's first name and the phrase "Allah is Great!," Delfi.lt reported.

"Soon it will be like Paris," the letter read.

Last week, 12 people were killed after two gunmen stormed the offices of the Paris-based Charlie Hebdo weekly. The attackers claimed they had "avenged" the prophet Muhammad, who had often been satirized in the publication.

The return address on the mysterious letter's envelope was that of former presidential advisor Daiva Ulbinaite, according to Delfi.lt. Ulbinaite denied any involvement in the incident, telling Lithuanian media she did not understand why her address featured on the envelope.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more