Lithuanian leadership of Vičiūnai-Rus represented Russian interests in meetings in Moscow
According to LRT, leadership of Vičiūnai-Rus, a Lithuanian capital company based in Sovetsk, Russia’s Kaliningrad region, met with Cuba’s minister of food industry in Moscow in April 2023. The meeting was attended by Rolanas Ozarinskas, deputy director general of Vičiūnai-Rus, and Edgaras Pečiulis, the company’s director for supply. The meeting was mediated by the Embassy of Russia in Cuba and the Embassy of Cuba in Russia.
The Lithuanian government condemns the company’s actions and vows to strive that Vičiūnai Group would not be allowed to take part in public tenders.
The 2023 National Threat Assessment published earlier in March by the State Security Department (VSD) and the Second Investigation Department (AOTD) under the Ministry of National Defence stated that certain Lithuanian companies continue to do business in Russia. They have separated their businesses and changed their names, but continue doing business in Russia thus supporting the Kremlin regime.
ELTA has addressed Vičiūnai Group for comment last week, but the company did not respond.
In January, Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention included Vičiūnai Group to a list of international war sponsors as the Lithuania-based company has not ceased its operations in Russia.