International military exercises involving NATO and Lithuanian forces aimed at countering hybrid threats have begun in western Lithuania. The drills will run until 30 October and cover the Baltic Sea, the area around the port of Klaipėda, and the municipalities of Klaipėda city and district, Palanga and Neringa.
According to the Klaipėda municipality, Lithuanian and NATO troops will train to work alongside state institutions and other organisations in responding to various types of hybrid threats. Participants will move on foot and in wheeled vehicles wearing tactical uniforms and carrying firearms and other military equipment. Individual scenarios will involve drones, helicopters, ships and other watercraft, as well as blank ammunition and pyrotechnics.
The municipality stressed that safety requirements, fire safety rules and environmental regulations will be strictly observed throughout the exercises. Residents have been warned about possible noise and temporary road closures and asked to remain calm.
The drills take place against the backdrop of ongoing tensions in the Baltic region. Lithuania hosts NATO forces (including elements of a multinational battlegroup and a German brigade preparing for full deployment), and the country regularly faces incidents involving drones and other forms of hybrid pressure. The exact number of participants in the current exercises has not been disclosed.
