VILNIUS/RIGA – Lithuania and Latvia have conducted a joint cross-border evacuation exercise, simulating a worsening security situation in the Baltic region. Authorities tested the transportation, registration, and reception of people crossing into the neighboring state. Officials emphasized that the drill was not a response to any immediate or specific threat.
Buses transported volunteers across the border
One of the scenarios involved moving residents from the Lithuanian city of Šiauliai to Ķekava in Latvia, near Riga. A separate exercise simulated evacuation in the opposite direction, taking people from Daugavpils in Latvia to Pasvalys in Lithuania.
Approximately one hundred volunteers participated in total. Emergency services practiced communication, arranging bus transport, and preparing sites for temporary accommodation.
Focus on vulnerable individuals
In mass evacuations, securing buses is not enough. Authorities need to identify who may require medical care, mobility assistance, or special support. For this reason, the drill included the registration of evacuees and tested arrival procedures.
The results will be used to update existing crisis plans. Both countries are EU and NATO members that have significantly strengthened their readiness for various security situations in recent years.
Does the exercise mean war is imminent?
No. Lithuanian and Latvian officials made it clear the drills were scheduled in advance and are not connected to any specific or current threat. The purpose was to test practical procedures that could also be useful in case of civil disasters.
Preparedness for security is not the same as confirmation of imminent danger.
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Source: TASR, DPA, Lithuanian and Latvian authorities, 10 November 2026
This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
