Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – On CVbankas.lt, one of the largest job listing portals, candidates will now be able to see additional information about a job’s accessibility – whether the employer reimburses train travel and how close the train station is to the workplace, LTG Group said in a press release. LTG Link, the passenger transport company of the LTG Group, which implemented this solution in collaboration with UAB Diginet LTU, the portal’s operator, aims to promote more convenient and sustainable mobility for residents.

According to LTG Link data, trains are becoming an increasingly common choice for daily and work-related travel – last year, the company transported 5.9 million passengers, 228,000 of whom were business travelers. Currently, approximately 800 employers nationwide are partnering with LTG Link.

From now on, job seekers will be able to learn about these partnerships while searching for jobs—this information will be displayed in job postings on CVbankas.lt.

“Trains are increasingly becoming the go-to choice for daily travel, especially when commuting between cities for work. During such trips, it’s not just comfort that matters, but also the opportunity to use the time productively—to work, relax, or prepare for the day’s meetings. This contributes to the development of more convenient and sustainable mobility habits,” says Kristina Meidė, head of “LTG Link.”

According to Živilė Koncevičienė, head of  CVbankas.lt, by providing more opportunities to move more freely between cities, it becomes easier for candidates from surrounding regions to apply for positions in major cities, especially Vilnius, where some of the highest salaries in the country are offered.

“Candidates in recruitment processes are increasingly factoring in not only their future salary but also the time and expenses involved in commuting to work. Therefore, for employers unable to offer flexible schedules or a hybrid work model, seamless transportation becomes a significant added benefit for employees. We believe that traveling by train is one of the best solutions to this need, allowing employees to travel quickly, comfortably, and affordably,” says Koncevičienė, head of Lithuania’s most-visited job portal.

The solutions implemented in the CVbankas.lt system automatically calculate the distance from the workplace to the nearest train station, and employers are given the option to indicate in their job postings that there is a train station nearby, thereby attracting candidates from other cities. Job postings also include information about travel expenses reimbursed by the employer, which serves as an additional indicator of the organization’s commitment to employee well-being and sustainability.

On average, over 10,000 job postings are uploaded to the CVbankas.lt portal each month, and the first employers are already using the new feature.

Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – Deputy Foreign Minister Taurimas Valys in London on Thursday opened the event titled “Making Second-Hand First Choice: Scaling Circular Consumption in the UK,” the ministry reported.

The main organiser of which is the Lithuanian second-hand clothing and goods marketplace Vinted, which has been successfully operating in the UK market for over a decade.

Addressing UK policymakers and representatives of the public and non-governmental sectors gathered at the event, the deputy foreign minister highlighted Lithuania’s commitment to climate neutrality and sustainable economic transformation, from achievements in the field of renewable energy to an efficient deposit system and the rise of start-ups such as Vinted.

“The global success of the Lithuanian unicorn Vinted shows that circular economy solutions can be profitable and competitive on a global scale. It is also a great assessment of the Lithuanian start-up ecosystem, which provides excellent conditions for such innovative companies to grow and thrive,” Valys said.

By opening this event at the Lithuanian Embassy, Deputy Foreign Minister Valys began a four-day working visit to London. 

The programme includes meetings with representatives of the Office of the Government of the United Kingdom, the City of London Corporation, and the United Kingdom’s main defence association, Lithuanian communities and organisations, and a visit to Lithuanian education institutions, the ministry said.

Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – The Amber Gas Corridor initiative, presented to market participants at the end of last year, has attracted significant interest, as evidenced by the approximately 40% increase in gas transportation towards Poland this year, Lithuania’s gas system operator Amber Grid said in a statement on Thursday. 

Gas suppliers using the regional gas transportation corridor connecting Finland, the Baltic states, Poland, and Ukraine can expect even lower transportation tariffs in 2027. These cost-reducing changes will enhance the competitiveness of the corridor’s routes.

According to preliminary calculations, in 2027 the cost of transporting gas from Lithuania’s Klaipėda LNG terminal to Ukraine (excluding the regasification tariff) will be 12–13% lower, depending on the capacity product selected. Transportation from Finland’s Inkoo LNG terminal through the Baltic states and Poland to Ukraine (also excluding the regasification tariff) is expected to be approximately 11% cheaper on average.

These changes will result from planned tariff adjustments by transmission system operators in Lithuania and Poland. Lithuania’s natural gas transmission system operator, Amber Grid, forecasts that gas transmission tariffs at exit points will decrease by around 21% starting in 2027. Meanwhile, Poland’s transmission system operator Gaz-System has announced approximately 19% lower tariffs at the Santaka interconnection point on the Lithuanian-Polish border and around 14% lower tariffs at the Poland–Ukraine border exit point.

“The survey of gas suppliers conducted in February this year showed that two of the most important factors influencing the decision to use Amber Gas Corridor routes are competitive transportation costs and early access to information about future tariffs. In response to market participants’ expectations, we aim to announce the 2027 route prices as early as possible so that suppliers can plan their supply strategies, assess the economic attractiveness of different routes, and make informed business decisions. It is encouraging that, based on the tariffs currently planned, gas transportation along these routes in 2027 will cost suppliers less than it does this year,” said Nemunas Biknius, CEO of Amber Grid.

The Importance of Regional Infrastructure Continues to Grow

KN Energies, the operator of the Klaipėda LNG terminal, recently completed the allocation process for long-term regasification capacities for the period 2033–2044. During the process, the majority of available capacity—more than 20 TWh—was allocated.

Long-term capacity at the Klaipėda LNG terminal has been reserved by Ignitis, Latvia’s Latvenergo AS, Norway’s Equinor ASA, as well as two new terminal customers: Finland’s Gasum OYJ and Ukraine’s Naftogaz.

“Market participants have reserved terminal capacity for the long term. This demonstrates confidence in and the strategic importance of Lithuania’s gas infrastructure. It is particularly significant that Ukraine’s Naftogaz is among the companies that secured long-term capacity at the Klaipėda LNG terminal. This clearly indicates market interest in routes capable of ensuring reliable and competitive gas supply to multiple countries,” Biknius said.

During the first five months of this year, gas transmission from Lithuania to Poland through the Santaka gas metering station increased by 38%, reaching 2,223 GWh. The anticipated tariff reductions from 2027 are expected to further stimulate gas flows towards Poland and Ukraine.

The Klaipėda LNG terminal remains the region’s primary gas supply artery. Since the beginning of the year, 15,688 GWh of gas has already been transmitted through the terminal—28% more than during the same period last year (12,226 GWh).

Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air will discontinue its Vilnius–Turku route, LRT reported.

The airline confirmed to the public broadcaster that flights between Vilnius Airport and Finland’s Turku Airport will cease from 17 September.

Until then, services will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Wizz Air said it continuously monitors route performance to meet passenger demand and offer competitive prices on its most popular connections.

The network is regularly optimised based on overall performance assessments, it added.

On 7 June, Wizz Air launched direct flights from Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, to Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro after starting a service between Vilnius and Gdansk, Poland in May.

In September, the airline will offer flights from the Lithuanian capital to Prague, the Czech Republic.

The Hungarian airline and Lithuanian Airports (LTOU) have been cooperating for 15 years.

Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – ELTA Brief provides a concise overview of the key events of Thursday, 18 June, in Lithuania and around the world.

On Thursday, Lithuania’s nearly two-week-long coalition talks concluded, with the Social Democrats, Democrats For Lithuania, and the Farmers & Greens signing an agreement in the Parliament. The deal foresees that the new government will be led by Social Democrat chair Mindaugas Sinkevičius. 

Separately, politicians also discussed remarks by the chair of Seimas’ foreign affairs committee on a possible Lithuania–China discussion about restoring bilateral diplomatic representation at the level of chargé d’affaires. State railway group LTG presented infrastructure plans for the next 24 years and beyond, including proposals for a high-speed rail line between Kaunas and Klaipėda and new connections to other cities.

LITHUANIAN POLITICAL NEWS

Partners of the new ruling majority signed a coalition agreement on Thursday. The document was inked by the chairs of the three groups: Social Democrat (LSDP) Orinta Leiputė, Jaroslav Narkevič of the political group of the Farmers & Greens and the Christian Families Alliance, and Lukas Savickas of the Democrats For Lithuania. The 21st Government is set to be headed by Social Democrats leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius, who announced his bid for the prime minister’s post on Tuesday. Social Democrat Juozas Olekas is expected to continue as Seimas speaker. The Democrats For Lithuania will appoint ministers of agriculture, energy and health. The LSDP will continue heading the same 9 ministries, whereas the group of the Farmers & Greens and the Christian Families Alliance has retained two ministerial seats and will lead the Ministries of Justice, and the Economy and Innovation. Clarity on the names in the future Cabinet is expected after the Midsummer holidays. Interim Democrats leader Virginijus Sinkevičius said his party would nominate party members for ministerial posts and had already discussed them with the LSDP leader.

The Seimas has adopted law amendments intended to attract young doctors to regions. The initiative, proposed by Deputy Seimas Speaker Orinta Leiputė, was backed by 82 lawmakers, with 23 voting against and eight abstaining. Under the law, doctors admitted to the extra residency places will commit to working for five years in a designated county health institution facing shortages in their specialty. The health minister will set the rules for planning the additional residency positions. Universities will be required, at the time of admission, to specify the county where graduates would need to work after completing their studies.

Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said he would not confirm comments by Remigijus Motuzas, chair of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs, regarding China. Motuzas said Lithuania had agreed to a proposal to restore bilateral diplomatic representation at the level of chargé d’affaires at the current stage. Diplomacy is a discreet process, and the issue is a sensitive one, Budrys said. He added that the more public discussion there is about normalising relations with China, the harder it becomes to achieve results through quiet diplomacy.

LITHUANIAN BUSINESS NEWS

State-owned railway group LTG has presented a study on the future architecture of Lithuania’s rail network, outlining plans to build a high-speed line between Kaunas and Klaipėda by 2050 and beyond, as well as new connections to Palanga, Alytus and Druskininkai. According to LTG, the analysis shows that the greatest benefit by 2050 would come from a European-gauge corridor from the Polish border to the Latvian border, including the under-construction Rail Baltica line and new high-speed links between Kaunas and Klaipėda and between Kaunas and Vilnius. The interim head of LTG, Arūnas Rumskas, said the required investment by 2050 is estimated at EUR 25-28 billion, with most funds directed towards the Kaunas–Klaipėda European-gauge line. Deputy Transport Minister Roderikas Žiobakas said the expansion of the European-gauge network is aimed at creating direct access to Western markets via the port of Klaipėda. According to LTG, the study’s key conclusion is that the most economically and strategically optimal path for Lithuania is a gradual expansion of the European-gauge network, while retaining part of the existing broad-gauge system linking to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. The group also forecasts that freight volumes could rise from 27.8 million tonnes to nearly 50 million tonnes a year by 2050, while passenger rail travel could increase almost fourfold to more than 19 million trips annually.

An EU railway audit into two train accidents in Lithuania in May is expected to be completed later this week, Deputy Transport Minister Roderikas Žiobakas said. All findings could be made public in June, according to him. At the beginning of May, three wagons carrying crushed stone derailed at Gudžiūnai station in the Kėdainiai district, disrupting rail traffic. A separate incident occurred the same weekend in the Kaunas district, where a locomotive and four freight wagons travelling from Duisburg derailed in Jiesia. Following the accidents, state-owned railway group LTG launched a commission to investigate the causes and pledged to introduce additional safety measures across the national rail system.

Employers and trade unions criticise Inga Ruginienė’s Government for reluctance to endorse their agreement in the Tripartite Council on raising the minimum monthly wage and the non-taxable income threshold. Business representatives say the cabinet is failing to honour its commitments and showing disrespect to both employers and employees. On Tuesday, social partners in the Tripartite Council agreed that the minimum monthly wage should rise by 7.19% in 2027, while the non-taxable income threshold, unchanged for two years, should increase by 4%. However, the Government opposed the proposal, and wants to raise the minimum monthly wage by 8% and keep the non-taxable income level intact. The acting head of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK), Dalia Jakutavičė, said the agreement reached by employers and trade unions should be properly considered. Despite that, the LPSK welcomed the Government’s proposal to raise the minimum monthly wage by 8%. The president of the Lithuanian Business Confederation (LVK), Andrius Romanovskis, said he expected the incoming ruling coalition and future prime minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius to approve the social partners’ proposal.

Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air will discontinue its Vilnius–Turku route, LRT news website reported.  The airline confirmed to the public broadcaster that flights between Vilnius Airport and Finland’s Turku Airport will cease from 17 September. Until then, services will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Wizz Air also said it continuously monitored route performance to meet passenger demand and offer competitive prices on its most popular connections. The network is regularly optimised based on overall performance assessments, it added.

FOREIGN NEWS

Ukraine has carried out one of its largest attacks on Moscow since the start of the war, with fires breaking out in and around the Russian capital and the country’s main airport evacuated. Unverified videos on social media showed large columns of black smoke rising over the city and drones flying overhead. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv had struck an oil refinery near Moscow as well as other targets in Russia and occupied territories, describing the strikes as a fair response to Russian attacks. He warned that “if Ukraine burns, Moscow will burn too.”

US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian have signed an agreement aimed at ending the war in the Middle East. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated the process, said Iran would first reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States would lift its naval blockade. However, he said the deal is only temporary and is intended to allow time for more detailed negotiations on the more complex issue of Iran’s nuclear programme. Trump said he was prepared to bomb Iran if it violated the agreement.

Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – Lithuania plans to contribute to the development of a GovTech labority in Palestine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.

On Thursday, 17 June, during a working visit to Palestine, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys signed a joint declaration committing to the development of a more efficient, transparent and innovative Palestinian public sector.

The agreement was concluded with the Palestinian Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Economy, the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government, and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

According to the Foreign Ministry, the document provides for Lithuania’s expert support in establishing a national GovTech laboratory in Palestine, based on the Lithuanian model.

Lithuania participates in this process as an experienced partner, ready to transfer the know-how of its successful digital transformation path, according to the ministry’s statement. 

The main driver and example of innovation in this partnership is Lithuania’s GovTech Lab, currently operating under the Innovation Agency. Since 2019, this platform has effectively bridged the public sector with startups and IT companies, aiming to use the latest technologies to solve real public governance challenges.

“Lithuania is ready to share its experience in developing modern, people-friendly public services. We believe that the Palestinian GovTech Lab will become an innovation hub where solutions to societal needs can be also addressed,” Foreign Minister Budrys said.

Lithuania has actively supported the Palestinian digitalisation processes for nearly a decade, the ministry said.

In 2025, experts from NRD Companies assisted the Palestinian Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Economy in developing a strategic vision, operational plan of the local GovTech laboratory, training civil servants, and establishing the necessary institutional framework.

The signed declaration takes cooperation to a new stage. Lithuania will continue to support the Palestinian Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Economy in identifying key public sector challenges and developing a sustainable culture of public-private sector cooperation.

The Foreign Ministry noted that Lithuania has consistently provided humanitarian assistance to Palestine through contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, as well as to the World Food Programme.

Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – The Parliament on Thursday adopted amendments to the Law on Medical Practice creating additional state-funded medical residency places for doctors who agree to work for five years after graduation in regional healthcare facilities.

The motion, proposed by Deputy Seimas Speaker Orinta Leiputė, was backed by 82 lawmakers, with 23 voting against and eight abstaining.

Under the law, doctors admitted to the extra residency places will commit to working for five years in a designated county health institution facing shortages in their specialty.

The health minister will set the rules for planning the additional residency positions. Universities will be required, at the time of admission, to specify the county where graduates would need to work after completing their studies.

Social Democrat MP Leiputė said the obligation would not be compulsory but an option for medical residents.

Following the amendments by the Seimas Committee on Health Affairs, the law also guarantees applicants a choice between state-funded standard residency places, the new additional regional scheme, and self-funded positions.

Supporters of the amendments say medical school graduates would not be forced to work in regional areas, as they would be offered a choice between paying for their own training or accepting state-funded places with conditions attached.

Lawmaker Vitalijus Šeršniovas, deputy chair of the group of non-attached MPs, stressed that the rules would apply only to a limited number of additional places, not all 385 residency positions, but to around 20 extra state-funded slots in areas with doctor shortages.

Another independent MP, Rimantas Jankūnas, said the reform “balances the needs of young doctors and society.”

Leiputė said the changes would help attract specialists, warning of significant shortages by 2032, including family doctors, internists, paediatricians and emergency physicians.

Critics warned the measure could be challenged in the Constitutional Court and compared it to past assignment practices in Lithuania.

Liberal MP Edita Rudelienė said it resembled Soviet-era distribution of jobs, while Conservative MP Jurgita Sejonienė argued it could encourage emigration. 

Liberal MP Simonas Gentvilas urged addressing structural reasons why doctors avoid regions, including workplace conditions.

The new provisions will enter into force next year.

Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – First Lady Diana Nausėdienė, together with Estonia’s First Lady Sirje Karis, on Thursday attended the inauguration ceremony of the new eco-friendly, hydrogen- and electricity-powered vessel Rasa at the Port of Klaipėda, the presidency reported.

First Lady Diana Nausėdienė o thanked First Lady Sirje Karis of Estonia for taking part in the ceremony, noting that Rasa is a meaningful symbol of Lithuanian–Estonian cooperation.

“This vessel is yet another tangible example of how the partnership between Lithuania and Estonia enables us to implement ambitious projects. The construction of Rasa began in Klaipėda at a company with Estonian capital and was completed in Tallinn. Today, we can once again affirm that our countries are united not only by the Baltic Sea, but also by shared interests, values, and the aspiration to build a progressive, secure, and competitive Baltic region,” Diana Nausėdienė said.

The first lady of Lithuania emphasised that, while welcoming the growing volume of maritime traffic and the increasing flow of passengers and cargo through the Port of Klaipėda, it is equally important to recognise the fragility and vulnerability of the Baltic Sea ecosystem.

“Although the condition of the sea has improved in some respects over recent decades, it remains one of the world’s most heavily affected and polluted seas. That is why every step we take together with like-minded partners and the international community to protect and restore our Baltic Sea, and to reduce shipping-related pollution, is of the utmost importance,” Diana Nausėdienė said.

The First Lady noted that the name Rasa perfectly reflects both the vessel’s defining feature – leaving no carbon footprint – and its noble mission: while emitting only water vapor, it will help clean the waters of the Klaipėda seaport and improve the living environment for the city’s residents.

“I congratulate the Port of Klaipėda, as Rasa is the first vessel of its kind in the history of Lithuanian maritime transport – and the first of its kind in the entire Baltic Sea region. I wish you continued success in flying the flag of Klaipėda as a leader among green ports and in continuing along the path toward clean technologies,” Diana Nausėdienė said.

The first lady congratulated everyone whose seamless cooperation contributed to building Rasa – scientists, engineers, shipbuilders, the maritime community, partners, and all the institutions involved. She wished Rasa, her captain and her crew safe voyages, reliable service, and fair winds.

Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – Employers and trade unions who reached agreement in the Tripartite Council on raising the minimum monthly wage and the non-taxable income threshold have criticised the government of Inga Ruginienė for reluctance to endorse the agreed increases.

Business representatives say the cabinet is failing to honour its commitments and showing disrespect to both employers and employees.

“From our perspective, this shows that even opposing poles can find common ground after long discussions,” Vidmantas Janulevičius, president of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, told reporters on Thursday.

He added that the Government’s refusal to back the agreement was “disrespect not only to trade unions but also to employers and workers themselves.”

Janulevičius warned that if the practice continues, the Tripartite Council risks losing its purpose, calling its meetings potentially “a waste of time” and questioning continued business participation.

The acting head of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK), Dalia Jakutavičė, said the agreement reached by employers and trade unions was a rare outcome that should be properly considered. Any rejection must be clearly justified or the government risks breaching basic social partnership principles, she noted.

The LPSK, despite that, the LPSK appreciated the Government’s proposal to raise the minimum monthly wage by 8% while leaving the non-taxable income threshold unchanged.

“Both workers and businesses need clarity and stability today to plan revenue and operations next year,” Jakutavičė added.

The president of the Lithuanian Business Confederation (LVK), Andrius Romanovskis, said Inga Ruginienė, who had headed the Trade Union Confederation before taking the prime minister’s role, had “changed sides of the barricades,” arguing she had forgotten how social partner negotiations function. 

The aim, he said, is to “slightly shame” the outgoing Government, recalling that the only comparable agreement was reached when Ruginienė led trade unions. He added that social partners now expect the incoming ruling coalition and future prime minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius to begin work with “an open, clean, positive step” and to take the agreement into account.

On Tuesday, social partners in the Tripartite Council agreed that the minimum monthly wage should rise by 7.19% in 2027, while the non-taxable income threshold, unchanged for two years, should increase by 4%.

A deputy finance minister estimated that implementing the proposal of employers and trade unions would cut budget revenues by EUR 40 million next year.

The Government has therefore rejected the plan and instead proposes raising the minimum monthly wage by EUR 92 (8%) to EUR 1,245 before tax, while keeping the non-taxable income threshold unchanged. It cites a new scheme adopted by the Parliament at the president’s initiative, which from next year introduces an additional tax-free allowance for parents raising children, worth EUR 87 per child or EUR 1,044 per year.

This year, the non-taxable income amount stands at EUR 747 and applies to workers earning up to one minimum wage, currently EUR 1,153 before tax.

The minimum wage is set by the Government in the autumn alongside the adoption of the state budget.

 Vilnius, June 18 (ELTA) – Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič on Thursday attended a meeting of Baltic Sea region ministers focused on security issues and strengthening regional resilience, the ministry said in a press release.

During the meeting, Lithuania, together with Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Poland, and Sweden, issued a joint statement calling for closer cooperation in addressing threats posed by drones, weather balloons, and other unmanned aerial objects. The countries agreed to work together to ensure that the next EU budget places a stronger emphasis on countering hybrid threats and enhancing resilience.

The statement highlights the countries’ commitment to strengthening drone and counter-drone capabilities, conducting joint exercises, expanding information sharing, implementing pilot projects, promoting joint procurement initiatives, and supporting research and innovation. The partners also aim to deepen cooperation with Ukraine by drawing on its practical experience in countering aerial threats and protecting critical infrastructure.

“Our security environment has changed fundamentally in recent years. Drones, balloons, and other unmanned objects are no longer isolated incidents—they are part of a broader pattern of hybrid activities designed to disrupt our societies, create uncertainty, and exert psychological pressure on our populations. We must therefore act without delay and strengthen Europe’s preparedness and resilience,” Minister Kondratovič said.

On May 20, Lithuania issued an air raid alert for the first time since the restoration of its independence, urging residents to seek shelter.

The ministers stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of the European Commission’s Drone and Counter-Drone Security Action Plan, presented in February this year. In Lithuania’s view, the measures outlined in the plan are important, but implementation must proceed much faster, as the threats are already present along the European Union’s external borders.

Speaking about regional cooperation priorities, minister of the Interior emphasized the need to develop a common situational awareness system providing a comprehensive airspace picture across the Baltic Sea region, strengthen the entire response chain—from threat detection to neutralization—improve coordination between civilian and military authorities, and increase the involvement of EU agencies such as Europol and Frontex.

According to Interior Minister Kondratovič, it is essential to secure adequate funding for new technologies, innovation, and capability development. This is particularly important in the context of the EU’s 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, which should properly reflect the security needs of the EU’s eastern border states and the challenges posed by hybrid threats.