ISTANBUL — Poland and Lithuania are developing joint procedures for the possible large-scale evacuation of civilians across their shared border if the Baltic states come under attack, Polish public broadcaster TVP reported Friday.
Warsaw and Vilnius are working toward a bilateral agreement that would establish the framework for the evacuation plans, according to Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center.
Vitkauskas said officials from both countries are examining procedures, logistics and available infrastructure, with a detailed plan expected to be prepared after the agreement is finalized.
The preparations come as Lithuania conducts nationwide exercises designed to test responses to various potential threats, including hybrid warfare, cyberattacks, disinformation and sabotage.
Around 20 Polish officials are participating in drills focused on border procedures and infrastructure along the Suwalki Gap, a strategic land corridor linking Poland and Lithuania between Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus.
The broader exercises involve approximately 3,000 officials, company and NGO representatives, as well as about 1,000 volunteers. The drills are scheduled to continue until Oct. 2.
Starting Saturday, six days of evacuation exercises will also be conducted in several Lithuanian municipalities, including the capital Vilnius and locations close to the Belarusian border.
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