Lithuania Ready to 'Fight Back' Against Russian Threats, PM Says

Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius stated on 22 September 2026 that citizens feel "constantly threatened" by Russia, confirming that the nation maintains comprehensive evacuation plans and will "not surrender" if attacked. The remarks, delivered to BBC Newsnight, come amid a rising wave of military drone incursions and hybrid attacks across the Baltic region.

What is Lithuania's evacuation plan?

Vilnius has formulated a municipal plan designed to evacuate over 600,000 residents within a 48-hour window. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius noted that these preparations account for a "variety of scenarios," including measures to smoothly extract elderly citizens, hospital patients, and disabled individuals from cities to avoid traffic jams. According to reports from Streamlinefeed via TVP World, roughly 75% of residents are estimated to evacuate using private transport.

How are NATO allies responding to the security situation?

NATO allies are bolstering regional defenses through troop rotations, permanent deployments, and aerial patrols. President Gitanas Nausėda announced on Tuesday that a new US troop rotation was on its way to Lithuania, and thanked Italian pilots following a recent drone interception.

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting issued a statement regarding the interception, saying, "Thanks to the swift and professional actions of Lithuanian and Italian forces, Nato once again demonstrated our readiness to protect our airspace. We stand united, around the clock, in defence of every inch of Nato territory."

Additional force structures include:

• Over 5,000 NATO troops stationed in Lithuania as of December last year.
• A German pledge to permanently station a 5,000-strong combat-ready brigade, primarily based in Rūdninkai near the 65-kilometer / 104-kilometer Suwałki Gap between Poland and Lithuania, reaching full operational capability by the end of 2027.
• Defense spending by Lithuania cited at 5.33% of GDP on core defense in 2026.

What hybrid threats has Lithuania faced recently?

Lithuania has experienced multiple incidents over the past year described as hybrid attacks blamed on Belarus. Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas told BBC Newshour that a drone which entered Lithuanian airspace came from the direction of Belarus. Separately, a late Monday night flight disruption at Vilnius airport involved objects resembling balloons. While the airport operator termed it a hybrid attack carried out by Belarus, President Gitanas Nausėda's chief adviser, Deividas Matulionis, stated it was unclear whether the objects were actually balloons. Moscow did not comment on the drone incident.

Similar airspace violations have affected neighboring nations. NATO jets have repeatedly scrambled this year to shoot down stray Ukrainian drones crossing into Estonia and Latvia, incidents which Ukraine attributes to Russian electronic warfare.