Air raid sirens sound in Utena County as residents seek shelter

Air raid sirens blared across parts of Lithuania’s Utena County on Wednesday after authorities issued an air threat alert, prompting residents to rush to shelters, LRT.lt reports.

Laimutis Ragaišis, mayor of Ignalina District Municipality, confirmed that sirens were activated in Ignalina and Molėtai, urging people to move to designated shelters. Public institutions in the area have opened their basements, while schools—except for the local music school—have suspended operations.

“Residents are heading to safe locations or shelters, gathering their loved ones and children, and waiting for further instructions,” Ragaišis said. He added that municipal employees had assembled in corridors, while residents were advised to secure safe spaces in their homes without blocking exits.

A teacher in Ignalina, Nijolė Trinkūnienė, described the scene inside one shelter to LRT.lt: “This is the second time this week we’ve had to go to the shelter. Last time, I stayed in the hallway at home, but now I’m in a windowless room with a narrow corridor—if something explodes, we’d be trapped.”

In Molėtai, Mayor Saulius Joneika criticised the lack of direct communication with local authorities, noting that he and other officials received alerts on their personal phones rather than through official channels. “The issue is that municipal leaders don’t get these notifications the same way residents do,” he said, adding that some Molėtai residents had also received warnings during a previous alert declared only for the Vilnius region.

The alert follows reports of potential airspace violations in Lithuania, with President Gitanas Nausėda stating earlier that two drones may have breached the country’s airspace.