Lithuania is developing a comprehensive plan for mass evacuation in the event of a wartime scenario, as reported by the country’s Ministry of the Interior on 25 July, according to LRT. The Baltic country’s Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė has reportedly been at the forefront of discussions with representatives from various agencies, including the ministries of defense and transport, and the National Crisis Management Center.
The development of this evacuation plan in Lithuania comes amid heightened concerns about civil security following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as Lithuania and other Baltic nations are among the primary potential targets of future Russian aggression.
The plan aims to clearly define the responsibilities and tasks of different departments involved in a potential evacuation. Local governments have been asked to provide specific data on their evacuation capabilities and needs within a six-week timeframe. This information includes the number of residents to be evacuated by category, evacuation routes, available transportation and contracts for its use, required personnel for evacuation operations, and any funding shortfalls.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, the collected data will be incorporated into the evacuation plan. Lithuania is basing its approach on examples from Nordic countries, which have evacuation plans for both wartime and peacetime scenarios.
Once the evacuation plan is finalized, a new edition of the resident evacuation organization procedure description will be approved by government resolution. The plan will also be put to the test during national-level civil defense exercises. It has been announced that nationwide evacuation exercises will take place in the autumn.
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