Lithuania Prepares Evacuation Plans Amid Russian Threats
Lithuania’s Prime Minister, Mindaugas Sinkevičius, stated on Tuesday that the country has developed evacuation plans in response to threats from Russia. However, he emphasized that Vilnius “will not surrender” in the event of an attack.
In an interview with the BBC, Sinkevičius noted that Lithuanians “constantly feel threatened” by Russia, partly due to drones entering the country’s airspace. He added that, in the event of an attack on Lithuania, “we will resist… we will take action.” He also mentioned plans for “various scenarios”, citing the example of the “smooth” evacuation of elderly citizens from cities to avoid traffic congestion.
Lithuania, a NATO member, shares a border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Sinkevičius told the BBC, “We are considering various scenarios, not all of which are discussed publicly”. “We face specific threats, not on a daily basis, but we experience them, and they are a reality for us”, he said.
Regarding the UK, Sinkevičius said it needs a “mindset change” in its defense approach but noted that Lithuania is “closer to the border and closer to the threat”.
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Last week, NATO jets shot down a drone that had entered Lithuanian airspace. While the drone’s origin has not been confirmed, Lithuanian Defense Minister Roberta Kaunas told the BBC that it entered from the direction of Belarus, a Russian ally neighboring Lithuania.
Drone incursions have become more frequent across Europe since Russia’s war in Ukraine began. NATO aircraft have also been scrambled multiple times this year to intercept Ukrainian drones that accidentally entered other Baltic countries, Estonia and Latvia. Ukraine attributes these incidents to Russian electronic warfare, a technology designed to alter the flight paths of Ukrainian drones.
Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia joined NATO in 2004. The alliance’s Article 5 states that “an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all”.
