Protest held in Vilnius against planned military training ground in Kapčiamestis forest

Around 300 demonstrators gathered in Vilnius’s Independence Square on Tuesday to protest plans for a military training ground in the Kapčiamestis forest, LRT reports.

Organised by the movement “For Lithuania’s Forests,” the rally saw participants carrying Lithuanian flags and signs reading “No to the military polygon in Kapčiamestis forest” and “Stop the destruction of homesteads, forests, and animals.” Protesters argued that the project would lead to unnecessary deforestation in a unique natural area.

“Why must we destroy forests? Are there no other ways to solve this? The nature there is unique—if you destroy it, it will never be restored. This is the greatest harm our state is doing now,” said Tadas, a senior who traveled from Kaunas to join the protest.

Another demonstrator, Audronė, called the plan “utter nonsense,” claiming larger countries have fewer training grounds per capita than Lithuania. “The goal is clear—we don’t need forests destroyed pointlessly just so the authorities can profit,” she said.

The 28,000-hectare Kapčiamestis forest, 52% of which consists of state-protected woodlands, would be divided into two zones under the proposal: one for maneuvers and another for combat shooting ranges, covering 14,600 hectares. The plan includes relocating 77 homesteads in the maneuver zone and 13 in the shooting range area, with compensation offered to residents.

Organisers stressed the need for transparent decision-making, environmental impact assessments, and public consultation before proceeding. The Seimas has already given preliminary approval to the legislation, which aims to modernise Lithuania’s military infrastructure amid growing conscript numbers and allied forces.

A similar protest took place in Vilnius last weekend, with activists calling for the forest’s preservation for future generations.