Lithuania must treat drone threats as wartime conditions, reserve colonel warns

Lithuania’s defence systems must operate as if already in a state of war to counter the growing threat of drones, a senior military officer has told national broadcaster LRT.

Reserve Colonel Romas Žibas described Lithuania as a “frontline state,” noting that while the country is not yet at war, its proximity to active conflict zones demands heightened readiness. “We should consider ourselves a state near combat operations,” he said.

The warning follows Lithuania’s first-ever air threat alert triggered by drones last week, with two separate incidents reported in Utena district. In both cases, drones disappeared from border guard radars before crashing. Žibas criticised the response, stating that even if a drone vanishes from radar, its flight path should be tracked to anticipate its landing site.

“It disappeared, but they [border guards] should have determined its flight direction. Drones typically fly straight for a period—once the direction is established, troops must be able to intercept and neutralise it in a safe location,” he said. He added that key details—altitude, direction, and the drone’s characteristic sound—must be quickly communicated to authorities and the public.

Lithuania plans to accelerate purchases of short-range air defence systems, including Giraffe radars and mobile Piorun missile systems, with some new equipment expected within two months, according to Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas. Žibas also proposed repurposing existing assets, such as armoured vehicles equipped with detectors and machine guns, for drone hunting.

Latvia, which has faced more frequent drone incursions, deployed an acoustic detection system along its entire border last year—a measure Lithuania has yet to implement. Janis Garisons, former Latvian defence ministry state secretary, stressed that no single system can guarantee full detection. “Radars have limits… Drones fly low, and forests or terrain can block signals. You need multiple layers: acoustic, radar, and visual monitoring,” he told LRT, noting that Ukraine combines military systems with civilian reporting via a dedicated app.

Garisons, now heading a maritime drone development firm, acknowledged the technological gap: “Drone manufacturing is currently ahead of anti-drone capabilities. Even the most advanced systems, like Ukraine’s, don’t catch everything.” He added that small states like Lithuania and Latvia must prioritise protecting strategic sites and urban areas due to limited resources.

Žibas emphasised that coordination between the State Border Guard Service, military, and municipalities remains the critical challenge. “The most important thing now is synchronising their actions,” he said.