Lithuania has drawn up plans for a mass evacuation amid repeated warnings of Russian threats to the Baltics.
Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius said his people feel “constantly threatened” by neigbouring Russia as drones repeatedly cross over into Lithuania’s airspace.
Just last week, Nato jets were scrambled and emergency alerts sent out as a drone shot over from Belarus into the country’s south.
Mr Sinkevicius told the BBC that if his country was attacked, “we will fight back,” and “we will engage”.
Plans had been made for a “number of scenarios”, he said, describing how the country might need to evacuate elderly citizens “smoothly” out of cities.
He added: “We’re thinking about a variety of scenarios, not all of them are being discussed very much publicly.
“We face concrete threats, not on a daily basis, but we’re experiencing them and it’s a true reality for us.”
The Lithuanian Prime Minister said that while Britain needed its own “shift in the mindset” when it comes to defence, his country was “closer to the border and closer to [the] threat”.
Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkeviฤius (left) said Lithuania had drawn up plans for evacuation
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SAEIMA
After last week’s drone incursion, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda thanked the Italian pilots at the controls of the jets for their quick response.
He added: “With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region.
“Together with our Nato allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace.”
While Moscow – as standard – has not commented on the drone incursion, Belarus is a key ally to Vladimir Putin.
Thousands of Belarusian troops are carrying out drills with tanks and drone units near a stretch of land dubbed Nato’s “weakest link” on Poland’s border.
NATO RESPONSE TO RUSSIA – READ MORE:
Thousands of Belarusian troops are carrying out drills with tanks and drone units near the Suwalki Gap, a stretch of land dubbed Nato’s ‘weakest link’
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GB NEWS
The exercises are taking place partly near the Suwalki Gap, a 104-kilometre stretch of the Polish-Lithuanian border which is the only land link between the Baltic states and the rest of Nato.
It also separates Russian-allied Belarus from Kaliningrad, an exclave of Russia on the Baltic coast.
Germany has pledged to send thousands of troops to Lithuania, warning that Europe was “living through decisive weeks or months for the defence of freedom and peace”.
By the end of next year, the 45th Panzer Brigade is expected to be permanently based in Lithuania, with German’s Ministry of Defence confirming compulsory deployments would form a unit of nearly 5,000 troops.
Around 80 per cent of German forces currently in Lithuania are there on a voluntary basis.
Debris which is believed to belong to the drone shot down by Nato forces
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REUTERS
PICTURED: Emergency services respond after Nato jets scrambled to shoot down a drone from Belarus
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REUTERS
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: “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.”
Britain launched a torpedo from an unmanned, underwater drone for the first time on Monday as the UK strengthens its defences against Russia.
The new weapon would protect the UK from attacks on underwater cables and infrastructure after an attempt by Russia was thwarted.
Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, told GB News that Moscow had “sophisticated means for attacking undersea cables” as he acknowledged it was a “vulnerability”.
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