Lithuania to relocate state emergency reserves from Belarus border warehouses in 2027

Lithuania will move its state civil defence reserves away from warehouses near the Belarus border to safer locations by 2027, the National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) announced on Wednesday.

Aurimas Guščius, head of the NKVC Planning Bureau, told the Seimas Budget and Finance Committee that 60% of the reserves have already been transferred to central Lithuania, while the remaining stockpiles—managed by the Fire Protection and Rescue Department—will complete the relocation once two new storage facilities are built in central and northern Lithuania.

“We will relocate from those border zones. The design and construction process takes years, but 2027 is the target for completing the move from high-risk areas,” Guščius said. He added that two warehouses for the healthcare system will be leased in central Lithuania this year.

In February, construction firm Raseinių statyba won a €2.3 million (VAT included) contract to build a new state reserve warehouse near Šiauliai Airport, with completion expected by summer 2027. A second facility is planned, though its location remains undisclosed.

Valdas Visockas, head of the Fire Protection Department’s Material Resources Board, previously noted a shortage of storage capacity, with plans to construct an additional warehouse within a year. Officials report intensified reserve accumulation since 2025, with key procurement contracts for food, goods, and fuel reserves signed this year.

State Audit Office data shows €12.6 million spent on reserve stockpiling and management between 2022–2025. Details on reserve volumes, types, and locations are classified. The reserves are designated for use during emergencies, crises, mobilisation, or wartime.