Lithuania prepares evacuation plans as PM vows to fight back against Russia threats

Lithuania has drawn up evacuation plans for a range of scenarios as it faces what Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has described as growing threats from Russia, while insisting the country would resist any attack.

Speaking to the BBC's Newsnight, Sinkevičius said Lithuanians feel "constantly threatened", citing repeated incidents involving drones entering the country's airspace, the BBC reported today (22 September).

"If we are attacked, we will fight back. We will engage," he said, while acknowledging that authorities are preparing for different contingencies.

He said some plans involve evacuating vulnerable residents, including elderly people, from cities in an orderly manner to prevent major traffic congestion.

"We're thinking about a variety of scenarios, not all of them are being discussed very much publicly," Sinkevičius said. "We face concrete threats, not on a daily basis, but we're experiencing them and it's a true reality for us."

Lithuania, a member of Nato since 2004, shares a border with Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and lies close to Russia and its ally Belarus.

The prime minister also called for a shift in Britain's approach to defence, while noting that Lithuania faces a more immediate geographic proximity to the Russian threat.

Drone incursions raise security concerns
The comments come a week after Nato fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace. While its origin has not been officially confirmed, Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said the drone came from the direction of Belarus.

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the incident demonstrated Nato's readiness to defend its airspace.

"Thanks to the swift and professional actions of Lithuanian and Italian forces, Nato once again demonstrated our readiness to protect our airspace," Streeting said.

"We stand united, around the clock, in defence of every inch of Nato territory."

Moscow has not commented on the incident.

Drone incursions have become an increasingly common security concern across Europe since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In May, residents in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, were ordered to take shelter after a drone alert was triggered, temporarily disrupting air and rail services.

Nato aircraft have also been scrambled several times this year after Ukrainian drones crossed into neighbouring Estonia and Latvia. Ukraine has attributed some of the incidents to Russian electronic warfare, which can interfere with drone navigation.

Baltic states under Nato's security umbrella
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia joined Nato in 2004. Their membership brings them under Article 5 of the alliance's treaty, which states that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all members.

The Baltic states' proximity to Russia and Belarus has made regional airspace security and defence preparedness a growing priority for Nato.