Sinkevičius says Lithuania will extend critical infrastructure protection

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said Tuesday that enhanced protection of some critical infrastructure objects in Lithuania would be extended beyond August 19, while air defence remained the country’s top priority, LRT reported.

Sinkevičius said he had wanted to discuss total defence issues with President Gitanas Nausėda, arguing that total defence should be an important item on the government’s agenda. He also raised transparency in defence procurement and said he wanted more information about Lithuania’s air defence capabilities.

The prime minister said he and Nausėda had also discussed foreign policy and expressed a wish for closer relations with Poland. He cited infrastructure projects connecting the two countries and the continued goal of creating a common economic zone.

“The extension will be unavoidable. There have been no fundamental changes in the security situation over the past several months,” Sinkevičius said.

He is due to visit Karmėlava on Wednesday to learn more about the country’s air defence situation, assess the condition he has “inherited” and consider how it could be improved more quickly.

Sinkevičius said Lithuania needed to detect potential threats in time and take action against unidentified objects that could pose a danger.

“The priority is still air defence. If our sky is not safe, what can we talk about here?” he said.

He urged the public to remain calm, saying that state institutions and intelligence services were functioning and that the military was not on holiday. He added that the authorities were taking the situation seriously and preparing for various possible scenarios.

LRT also recalled that Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas had said the previous week that Russia was considering a false flag operation against important Lithuanian objects.