Defense drills test more than 30 Lithuanian institutions

More than 30 Lithuanian institutions tested their readiness for peacetime, hybrid threats and wartime conditions during national defence model exercises held on September 7 and 8, LRT reported, citing Tomas Godliauskas, head of the Total Defence association.

The exercises examined how Lithuania’s total defence model works and identified critical gaps in the country’s preparedness, Godliauskas said at a news conference.

Participants were divided into three groups and asked to respond to the same threat scenario from different perspectives. The state-level group included the government, the presidential office, the Seimas, the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Transport.

The municipal group included the municipalities of Vilnius, Kaunas and Ukmergė, as well as the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, the Lithuanian Red Cross, Telia, rural communities and representatives of the armed forces.

The public group was represented by members of the academic community, media, cultural organisations, the defence industry, the cybersecurity sector, the diaspora, scouts and other civil society organisations.

Exercises covered three stages

The first stage examined institutions’ readiness during peacetime, including the effectiveness of the existing legal framework, funding and public preparedness.

The second simulated a shift into a “grey zone”, involving disinformation, cyberattacks, increasing economic pressure, sabotage and uncertain legal conditions.

During the third stage, focused on wartime conditions, institutions assessed their readiness for a mobilisation, the introduction of military preparedness measures and delays in planned support from allies.

“It is not enough to have surveys. We actually examined what residents are prepared for,” Godliauskas said, adding that the exercises focused on the mechanisms, procedures and legal arrangements needed to implement decisions in practice.

Funding and coordination gaps

According to Godliauskas, the exercises revealed insufficient funding for institutions and a lack of coordination as the system’s main weaknesses.

He said that underfunded or ineffective critical infrastructure and essential sectors, including transport, energy and healthcare, create gaps in the continuity of state operations and directly affect military activities.

The exercise organisers also identified shortcomings in civilian and military cooperation, clarity of responsibilities, the communication of military planning and the integration of national arrangements with allied plans.

The exercises are one of three stages in developing Lithuania’s total defence model and its implementation plan. The initiative’s final conclusions are expected to be presented to the public in October.

According to Greg Melcher, head of the US-based New Generation Warfare Centre, the assessment consists of three stages: examining best practices in foreign countries, implementing practical measures and reassessing those methods.