Lithuanian prime minister acknowledges gaps in drone threat response

Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė admitted on Thursday that Lithuania’s response to this week’s drone-related air threat exposed systemic weaknesses, though she stressed that authorities are working to address them.

Speaking during the government’s weekly session in the Seimas, Ruginienė acknowledged that “yesterday showed we do have certain gaps. Not everyone was sufficiently prepared for an extreme, complicated situation.” She noted that emergency alert systems, regional coordination, institutional response protocols, and shelter accessibility are all under review.

The premier suggested panic or confusion may have hindered a fully effective response, urging the public to rely only on official warnings. “We are learning from the lessons we’ve received. We must maintain calm, solidarity, and vigilance with every threat,” she said, calling it “unacceptable” that some shelters were inaccessible to residents during the alert.

Municipalities bear responsibility for ensuring shelter readiness, Ruginienė added, while stressing that “we must not fall asleep now—we must take concrete action.”

Health Minister Marija Jakubauskienė also faced questions about protections for hospitalised infants, particularly those in incubators. She described medical facilities’ response to the drone threat as “a step forward,” though errors were identified. “We saw mistakes and weak points, and we are learning. Today we have already prepared algorithms for healthcare institutions in the event of an air threat, which we will publish shortly,” she said.

Jakubauskienė maintained that hospitals acted “adequately and appropriately” during Wednesday’s alert, which followed reports of a drone entering Lithuanian airspace.