Over 32,000 complete civil resistance training in six months, says Lithuania’s defence ministry

The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence (KAM) reports that more than 32,000 people have completed in-person and remote civil resistance training in the first half of this year.

“Our goal is for citizens to know the methods of civil resistance, to have done the necessary preparations, and to understand how to act during war or other extreme situations,” said Virginijus Vitalijus Vilkelis, director of the Mobilisation and Civil Resistance Department, which organises the training. “We are pleased to see growing interest from responsible businesses and public sector organisations in the 4.5-hour Fundamentals of Civil Resistance Preparedness (4P) courses. Those seeking deeper knowledge are also signing up for longer, full-day sessions held on weekends in major cities.”

From January to June, nearly 20,000 participants completed the 4P courses, which are offered to organisations and local communities nationwide. Around 700 such sessions were held in cities and towns across Lithuania. The training places strong emphasis on psychological preparedness for extreme situations, civilian actions during wartime, and practical advice on how to respond based on individual responsibilities and decisions—whether engaging in civil resistance, preparing homes and surroundings for survival, or evacuating.

Participants are also introduced to the specifics of different legal regimes—extreme situations, states of emergency, and martial law—as well as citizens’ duties and accountability under these regimes. The courses also cover first aid basics and hybrid tactics used by hostile states against Lithuania.

Organisations or local communities can register for these courses by emailing [email protected], ensuring at least ten participants. Additionally, around 500 people completed the 8-hour Hybrid Threat Resilience and Civil Resistance Skills training in major cities on Fridays and weekends during the same period. These sessions, led by Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union instructors, are designed for those seeking a deeper understanding of civil resistance, hybrid threats, and practical resilience-building methods.

According to the ministry, participants analyse hostile intelligence methods, explore disinformation and propaganda techniques, discuss cyber threats, evacuation principles, and resistance tactics against occupiers, drawing on Ukraine’s experience.

The Mobilisation and Civil Resistance Department also manages the remote learning platform mobilizacijosmokykla.lt. Since the beginning of the year, more than 12,000 people have completed at least one online course on civil resistance methods, mobilisation mechanisms during wartime, or allied support for the host nation. Since the platform’s launch in October 2023, around 150,000 citizens have completed at least one online course.