Kasčiūnas says critical infrastructure defences remain inadequate

Laurynas Kasčiūnas, leader of the opposition conservatives, says Lithuania’s current protection of critical infrastructure is insufficient to counter potential threats from the air, LRT reported.

“Based on the information I have, I can currently say that the protection of critical infrastructure is not sufficient for us to speak of effectively preventing or repelling possible threats from the air,” Kasčiūnas, a member of parliament, told Žinių radijas on Friday.

He stressed the importance of cooperation between the Public Security Service and the military. Kasčiūnas said the Public Security Service alone might not have enough capacity, while the military had more resources that should be shared through coordinated action and mutual cooperation.

Kasčiūnas also urged the interior and defence ministers to discuss how equipment being acquired by the military, particularly equipment intended to counter unmanned aircraft, could also be used for the needs of the Interior Ministry system.

The military has been helping protect the liquefied natural gas terminal in Klaipėda, the Alytus substation of the LitPol Link electricity connection with Poland, a transformer substation in Alytus District Municipality and the Kruonis pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant since June 18. The military coordinates its operational area and specific tasks with the Public Security Service, which is responsible for protecting critical infrastructure. The arrangement has been extended until the end of the year.

BNS has reported that leaders of NATO’s eastern-flank countries have recently warned publicly that they have intelligence about Russia preparing provocations using various kinetic means in their countries. The Kremlin has rejected accusations of planned attacks and called them a pretext for militarisation directed against Russia.