The German army brigade stationed in Lithuania is not under direct fire, but troops report facing hybrid attacks, including surveillance, psychological operations, and drone activity, as tensions with Russia persist in the Baltic region.

Soldiers have described unusual incidents, including mysterious phone calls where conversations from hours earlier were played back by unknown callers. “A comrade phones home, speaks for half an hour, and then gets a call from an unknown number. He answers – and hears his own conversation from earlier, recorded and played back,” Joshua Krebs wrote in his book, Inside Bundeswehr, calling the tactic “uncanny.”

Drones have also reportedly been used to monitor sensitive defence systems and exercises involving Germany’s Battletank Brigade 45 in Lithuania. Last year, a Russian reconnaissance aircraft entered Belarusian airspace during the Bundeswehr’s exercise Iron Wolf, raising concerns about Russian surveillance in the region.

Germany’s Inspector General, Carsten Breuer, described such incidents as “proof of the very real threat to Lithuania.” Federal Defence Minister Boris Pistorius echoed the warning during a meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart in Berlin, stressing that hybrid warfare poses a particular concern for Lithuania and the wider Baltic region.

The risks are compounded by Russian incursions into European airspace. In October 2025, two Russian fighter jets briefly entered Lithuanian airspace for approximately 18 seconds before turning back under NATO escort. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the incident as a “provocation,” with the aircraft thought to have flown from Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave.

Given the Baltic states’ proximity to Russian territory, the region is under constant NATO monitoring. Germany, Spain, and the UK currently lead the mission to police Baltic airspace, while Germany also supports ground operations, including deploying a mobile air force command post for air surveillance from January to March this year.

Experts note that hybrid attacks often exist in a legal grey area. Unlike conventional military operations, many hybrid actions, such as surveillance or unmarked troop movements, cannot be directly attributed to a single actor, and international law does not automatically classify them as armed attacks under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The aim is often psychological: to provoke, unsettle, and signal presence without triggering a military response.

Incidents reminiscent of the “little green men” in Crimea have occurred in the Baltics. In December, Russian border guards briefly crossed into Estonia without authorization, prompting diplomatic protests rather than military retaliation. Armed men in unmarked uniforms were also spotted near the Estonian border earlier in the year, reinforcing concerns about Russia’s hybrid strategies.

According to Pistorius, these tactics are part of a broader pattern of Russian pressure. “The threat posed by Russia is felt more acutely in Lithuania and across the Baltic region than elsewhere in Europe,” he said, citing provocative airspace incursions and intelligence-gathering operations as ongoing challenges for NATO forces in the region.

The mayor of Greenland’s capital has urged media professionals and content creators to act responsibly after a German comedian attempted to hoist the US flag in Nuuk, drawing outrage from local residents.

Bavarian comedian Maxi Schafroth, 41, tried to raise the Stars and Stripes near the city’s cultural centre on Thursday. Passers-by confronted him after he claimed to be a US official. Witnesses reported that locals reacted angrily, and Schafroth left the scene amid disapproving looks. Local authorities subsequently fined him, according to reports.

Avaaraq Olsen, mayor of Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, the district that includes Nuuk, described the stunt as “immensely harmful.” She said the incident was particularly upsetting for children and families, who have already been anxious over US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to seize Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.

“Raising a flag at our capital cultural centre, the flag of a military superpower that for weeks has been implying military force against our country, is not a joke,” Olsen said in a statement. “When you amplify those fears for content, clicks, or laughs, you are not being bold or creative. You are adding to the distress of an already vulnerable population. So, pause before you film. Think before you stage something ‘funny.’ Consider whether your next question or stunt will inform the world or simply make a child cry or a family feel less safe in their own country.”

Schafroth is known in Germany for his work on the satirical programme “Extra Drei,” broadcast by the regional NDR channel, which attracts over one million viewers. NDR expressed regret over the incident in statements to Germany’s Der Spiegel and the Ritzau news agency.

The stunt comes amid heightened international attention on Greenland following Trump’s long-standing territorial interest in the Arctic territory. Trump described owning Greenland as essential to US national security, claiming without evidence that Russia or China would otherwise seize control. His statements sparked a serious diplomatic crisis, considered the most severe in NATO’s history since the alliance was established in 1949.

Although the US president later backtracked on threats to use force, discussions between Washington, Copenhagen, and Nuuk are ongoing. Greenland’s government has been working to manage the stress and anxiety caused by the situation and to reassure its population that their safety remains a priority.

Local authorities stressed that Greenlanders, particularly children, remain worried over the uncertainty surrounding the territory’s international status. Olsen said the flag stunt, though intended as a humorous act, highlighted the need for content creators to consider the real-world impact of their actions on communities already facing heightened tension.

The incident underscores the lingering sensitivity in Greenland following months of international attention, and the city’s leadership has called for respect and caution in public displays that could inflame fear or insecurity among residents.

Moscow is experiencing the heaviest snowfall in more than two centuries, with snow piling up across the city and causing major disruptions for residents and commuters. Moscow State University meteorologists reported on Thursday that January has been unusually cold and snowy, with nearly 92 millimeters of precipitation recorded by the Moscow State University Meteorological Observatory by January 29 — the highest total in 203 years.

Snow piles reached as high as 60 centimetres in some parts of the Russian capital on Thursday, leaving streets, cars, and public areas heavily covered. Experts note that because snow contains a large amount of air, settled snow depths far exceed the measured precipitation levels. The record snowfall is attributed to deep cyclones and sharp atmospheric fronts passing over the Moscow region, according to the observatory.

Images circulating online show residents struggling through central Moscow, with snowdrifts blocking cars and roads. Commuter trains in the metropolitan area were delayed, while traffic jams stretched across major thoroughfares as drivers attempted to navigate streets blanketed in snow.

“January was a cold and unusually snowy month in Moscow,” the observatory said on social media. “By 29 January, the Moscow State University Meteorological Observatory had recorded almost 92 millimeters of precipitation, already the highest value in the last 203 years.”

Residents voiced frustration at the extreme weather. “There was much more snow when I was a kid, but now we practically don’t have any snow at all,” said Pavel, a 35-year-old bartender living in central Moscow. “There used to be much more.”

The snowfall follows a severe storm earlier this month in Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka region, which prompted authorities to declare an emergency after a massive snowstorm partially paralysed the city. Images from Kamchatka showed snowdrifts reaching the second storey of buildings and residents digging their way through roads as cars were buried on either side.

Moscow authorities have been working to clear streets and maintain public transport, but heavy snowfall has hampered efforts, highlighting the scale of the challenge for a city of around 13 million people. Meteorologists warn that residents should continue to exercise caution, particularly on roads and public transport routes, as winter weather conditions persist.

The extreme snowfall in Moscow underscores the impact of strong cyclonic systems across the region this month, affecting daily life, traffic, and local infrastructure. Authorities continue to monitor weather conditions as city workers manage the accumulation of snow and attempt to minimise disruptions for residents.