Dozens Of Belarusians Who Worked At An IT Company Were Deported From Lithuania
- 7.09.2026, 12:23
They were deemed a threat to national security.
The Lithuanian State Security Department has designated 22 Belarusians who worked at a technology company as a threat to the country’s national security. Their temporary residence permits in Lithuania were revoked, and they were deported from the country, according to "Zerkalo" reports, citing the Department.
All 22 individuals were expelled from Lithuania and barred from returning. They are prohibited from entering the Schengen Area for a period of five years. Those deported worked for a company that participated in a project of the European Union Space Program Agency (EUSPA) and fraudulently obtained nearly 500,000 euros.
According to information from the Financial Crime Investigation Service under the Lithuanian Ministry of the Interior, two Belarusians who worked at this company were convicted of fraud. During the investigation, law enforcement officials determined that the Lithuania-registered company had received EU funding to develop professional satellite navigation receivers capable of using the high-precision Galileo (HAS) for agricultural purposes, including the control of agricultural machinery and support for precision farming operations.
The total project budget was 1,643,381 euros. Of this amount, 745,453.67 euros was funded by the European Union Space Agency (EUSPA), with 447,272 euros actually transferred to the company.
“To receive EU funding, the company provided EUSPA with a sworn declaration stating that it was not subject to any EU restrictive measures and that it had no ties to sanctioned entities. During the investigation, codenamed […], close ties were uncovered between the defendants and the Russian and Belarusian military-industrial complex, which is subject to EU sanctions. It was established that after the start of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the company’s beneficiaries made changes to its management structure. “To circumvent the EU restrictions in effect against Belarusian citizens, a U.S. and Lithuanian citizen—a member of the Belarusian family of the accused—was appointed as the company’s head in April 2022,” the Investigation Service noted.
However, the company, registered in Lithuania, remained effectively under the control of both Belarusian citizens. They held leadership positions in a Russia-registered company that develops and tests satellite navigation chips for military purposes and is subject to EU sanctions.
“One of the defendants even obtained Russian citizenship in 2020–2021 for personal reasons. The defendants pleaded guilty and reimbursed the damages in the amount of 447,272 euros. They were convicted of fraud involving the illegal receipt of EU funds in collusion with others, as well as for forging and using false documents,” investigators reported.