Baltic countries prepare evacuation plans due to military threat from Russia
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are developing contingency plans and possible evacuations of their populations due to increased Russian military spending.
As Censor.NET informs, Reuters reports.
It is noted that the Baltic countries are concerned about Russia's huge military spending since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Therefore, they are developing action plans for the possible evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people in the event of a buildup of forces or an attack by Russian troops.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania constantly remind NATO partners of the threat of possible Russian aggression, drawing attention to cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, as well as recent cases of Russian aircraft and drones entering their airspace.
Moscow assures that it does not plan to attack the Alliance. At the same time, the Baltic states, with a history of annexation by the Soviet Union during World War II, have significantly increased their defense spending after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine - even though Russia has repeatedly denied such intentions.
"The threats can be different," said Renatas Požela, head of the Lithuanian fire service.
He added that it could be a powerful army along the Baltic borders that would try to capture all three countries in three days or a week.
The scenarios being discussed in the Baltic states and beyond cover a wide range of possible threats: from sabotage of transport and communication networks to mass unrest among Russian-speaking minorities, organized flows of migrants, or the spread of disinformation that could provoke panic and mass flight.
The Lithuanian authorities are already actively preparing for potential crisis situations. During the exercises in Vilnius, the evacuation of hundreds of people was practiced, but the real plans are for hundreds of thousands. Particular attention is being paid to residents living within 40 km of the border with Russia or Belarus - this is about 400 thousand people. In Kaunas, preparations are being made to accommodate up to 300 thousand people in schools, universities, churches and sports arenas. Assembly points, evacuation routes, warehouses with supplies and transport have already been determined in Vilnius.
In this case, the priority in an emergency will be the movement of military equipment through the strategically important Suwalki Corridor - the only land route connecting the Baltics with Poland. According to similar plans, Estonia envisages the resettlement of about 10% of its population, and Latvia - up to a third of its citizens.
As the Minister of National Security of Lithuania noted, these measures are a signal to society: the countries of the region demonstrate their readiness to act proactively and confront potential crises.
