Key facts
- Lithuania has evacuation plans in place in case of an attack from Russia.
- Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius stated Lithuania "will fight back" and "will not surrender" if attacked.
- Sinkevičius said Lithuanians feel "constantly threatened" by Russia, citing drone incursions.
- A drone that entered Lithuanian airspace came from the direction of Belarus, a Russian ally.
- NATO forces are prepared to defend NATO territory.
- Drone incursions have become more frequent across Europe since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Lithuania has developed evacuation plans and is prepared to "fight back" if attacked by Russia, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius told the BBC. He conveyed that Lithuanians feel "constantly threatened" by Russia, particularly due to recent drone incursions into the nation's airspace.
Sinkevičius told Newsnight that while his country faces "concrete threats" and is "experiencing them," they "will not surrender" and "will engage" if attacked. He mentioned plans for "a variety of scenarios," including the smooth evacuation of elderly citizens from cities to avoid traffic jams.
The NATO member, which shares a border with Russia's Kaliningrad enclave, has experienced drone incursions. Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas stated that one such drone originated from Belarus, a key Russian ally. The UK's Defence Secretary Wes Streeting affirmed NATO's readiness to protect its airspace and territory, noting that "swift and professional actions" by Lithuanian and Italian forces demonstrated this.