Lithuania holds large-scale emergency drill simulating drone attack on chemical plant

A major civil defence exercise simulating a drone strike causing a chemical disaster was conducted Thursday at Achema, Lithuania’s largest chemical fertiliser producer, the public broadcaster LRT reports.

The drill, organised by the Fire Protection and Rescue Department, marked the country’s largest state-level civil defence exercise this year. It tested emergency response coordination among multiple agencies after a simulated drone attack triggered a fire, a large-scale chemical leak, and mass casualties.

Under the scenario, a drone struck a calcium ammonium nitrate storage facility, igniting a blaze. A second drone later damaged an ammonia pipeline, releasing toxic gas that spread toward nearby towns, including parts of Kaišiadorys district. First responders—firefighters, police, military, medical teams, and environmental specialists—practised containment, evacuation, and decontamination procedures.

Renatas Požėla, a drill coordinator, said around 150 personnel participated, deploying anti-drone systems and specialised equipment. “These exercises show that services can mobilise quickly to handle such incidents,” he noted, adding that while improvements were needed, detailed critiques would follow later.

Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius stressed the realism of the scenario, citing recent drone incursions in the Baltics. “Such threats are real. Without coordination, protecting citizens would be impossible,” he said. The drill had been planned months in advance but gained urgency after actual drone violations in Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian airspace in recent weeks.

Achema CEO Audronė Kuskytė highlighted the drill’s focus on inter-agency communication. “Human factors and seamless coordination are critical—any breakdown could have tragic consequences,” she said. The company holds monthly safety exercises, but this was the first to simulate a hybrid attack involving chemical hazards and drone threats.