Lithuania on Monday launched Vyčio Skliautas 2025, the country’s largest-ever exercise to test its mobilisation system, involving more than 100 institutions and about 2,000 participants.
The drills, which run through October 11, aim to assess how effectively Lithuania could reorganise and pool resources to defend the country and maintain vital services in case of a security crisis, the Office of the Government said.
“In these challenging times, Lithuania’s institutions, NGOs and citizens are doing a great deal to prepare for emerging threats. This unity is our strength,” Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said in a statement. “Still, even the best plans must be tested in practice. This exercise is one of the most important readiness tests for the entire state and will only make us stronger.”
The drills will test how state institutions, municipalities and NGOs act and cooperate in response to conventional and hybrid threats. Participants will be required to make key decisions related to national defence and host nation support.
The exercise scenario is based on realistic situations designed to force participants to resolve complex dilemmas.
As the drills progress, participants will be evaluated on their readiness to conduct civilian evacuations and manage the practical aspects of such operations. On Tuesday and Wednesday, a large-scale evacuation exercise will move people from Vilnius railway station to other municipalities.
The exercise will also test Lithuania’s response to air raid alerts, including the country’s ability to detect and neutralise aerial threats. Coordination will be assessed among the Armed Forces, State Border Guard Service, Dignitary Protection Service, Police Department and other agencies.
Public alert systems will be tested through warning sirens, mobile notifications and media messages sent to residents. Hospitals will practice switching to mobilisation mode to ensure continuity of care in an evolving security situation.
Local commandant units will train to maintain public order and protect critical infrastructure in cooperation with civilian agencies.
The Office of the Government, ministries, security and defence agencies, the Supreme Court, the Bank of Lithuania and others will act as the State Mobilisation Operations Centre, which would coordinate essential state functions in the event of mobilisation.
All 60 municipalities, along with 115 institutions and agencies, are taking part, joined by NGOs and four major food retail chains.
In total, the exercise involves about 1,200 officials and officers and roughly 1,000 volunteers.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
