Latvia’s State Security Service detained the editor of Sputnik Lithuania on suspicions of breaking EU sanctions on the Russian state-run news agency, LRT reports.

According to the LETA news agency, Marats Kasems, a Latvian citizen, was detained on January 3, after which a court issued an arrest warrant for him.

Kasems is suspected of providing economic resources to Sputnik, seen as a Kremlin propaganda mouthpiece that has been sanctioned by the EU. Criminal proceedings have been opened for a possible violation of the sanctions.

The State Security Service reported that it had been monitoring the activities of the Latvian citizen for a long time.

Kasems had reportedly been living and working in Russia for several years before moving to Latvia at the end of last year.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sputnik was blocked in EU countries because it justified Moscow’s military aggression.