Lithuania plans underground shelters with shooting ranges and sports centres

Lithuanian municipalities and the Ministry of National Defence are planning to build at least 10 new underground shelters that would double as public training facilities, complete with shooting ranges and sports centres, LRT reports.

The proposed multi-purpose complexes would serve as civilian defence shelters during emergencies while offering shooting practice, combat skills training, and Olympic sports facilities in peacetime. Each facility is expected to accommodate up to 1,500 people and would be constructed to withstand radiation and sabotage attempts.

“Over a few years, we could train hundreds of thousands of people in combat skills, marksmanship, drone operation, and self-defence,” said Mantas Varaška, mayor of Kazlų Rūda municipality. The structures would also include parking lots or skate parks above ground.

Deputy Defence Minister Tomas Godliauskas emphasised the need for better management of existing shelters, noting that some remain locked during emergencies. “We’re looking for solutions—perhaps remote electronic controls—to ensure accessibility during crises,” he said. The ministry would co-finance half of each project’s estimated €3–3.5 million cost, with municipalities covering the remainder.

Business leaders have called for streamlined procurement to accelerate construction. “If we follow standard public tender procedures, we won’t finish by 2027,” warned Vidmantas Janulevičius, president of the Lithuanian Industrialists’ Confederation. The ministry aims for at least one such facility per county.

Recent air raid alerts revealed gaps in shelter accessibility, with some residents avoiding them due to distrust or logistical barriers. Officials stress the need for public education on emergency protocols, citing Israel’s 15-second warning system as an example of efficient civilian response training.