Lithuania has published a manual to advise its citizens on how to survive a war on its soil, as concerns grow that Russia's intervention in Ukraine could pose danger to Baltic countries as well.
Lithuania has published a manual to advise its citizens on how to survive a war on its soil, as concerns grow that Russia's intervention in Ukraine could pose danger to Baltic countries as well.
The manual advises not to panic and keep cold mind. "Gunshots just outside your window are not the end of the world."
On 6th January, Lithuanian Ministry of Defence has introduced war manual to the Lithuanian media, and next week is sending it to libraries. An online version is available at the Ministry’s website.
The manual explains how should Lithuanians resist foreign occupation with demonstrations, strikes "or at least doing your job worse than usual". In the event of invasion, it does also advise for citizens to organise themselves through Twitter and Facebook, and attempt cyber-attacks against the enemy.
Lithuania spent much of the last century incorporated in the Soviet Union, along with Latvia and Estonia, and upon restoring its independence in 1991, sought to join the Western NATO alliance and the European Union.
Lithuanian is increasingly worried about Russia, not least because of a military drill in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad last month that featured 9,000 soldiers and more than 55 naval vessels.
The Lithuanian army and its paramilitary reserve force have seen increased recruitment since the crisis in Ukraine, and Lithuania has organised its own Special Response Force.
SHOTLIST
Vs of War Manual. Its title as follows: "WHAT WE MUST KNOW to prepare for extreme situations and war:
6th January:
Soundbite (Lithuanian)
JUOZAS OLEKAS, Lithuanian Minister of Defence:
There will be an opportunity for you and for all the people to read it. You always have to act in a cold mind. Not to panic.
Cutaway with a journalist reading manual
6th January:
Soundbite (Lithuanian)
JUOZAS OLEKAS, Lithuanian Minister of Defence:
(On civil resistance) Well, let's say you do go to work, but the work goes on very slowly, you are always unlucky, you always fail, the pencil is just dropping out of your hands.
6th January:
Soundbite (Lithuanian)
KAROLIS ALEKSA, Chief Editor of the War Manual:
Also, how do we imagine civil defence in information and cyber space? These are new spaces and we suggest how citizens could act there, of course, only in a case of war. Citizens who are experts of information security or cyber security could contribute to state's defence by organizing their own attacks.
Another cutaway with a journalist reading manual
6th January
Soundbite (Lithuanian)
JUOZAS OLEKAS, Lithuanian Minister of Defence:
Weapons for our state defence are in arsenals in army bases. They will be distributed among those who will be prepared to defend the country.
Recent archive of Lithuanian soldiers training in a street
6th January
Soundbite (Lithuanian)
VALDAS RAKUTIS, representative of the General Jonas Žemaitis War Academy:
People did not even have questions. It seemed to them that the eternal peace will last for ever and they need nothing to do. The crises that happened in 2014, and which is still ongoing, urged people to prepare and to think – now we are just better prepared.
Recent archive of Lithuanian soldiers training in a school stadium
