Lithuania expands paramilitary militia amid hybrid threats

Lithuania is intensifying its national defense preparations through the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union (LSS), a unique paramilitary militia. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the organization's membership has doubled to over 20,000 volunteers, including men, women, and children as young as eleven.

In response to hybrid threats, such as a recent explosive-laden drone suspected to have originated from Belarus, the country is conducting crisis preparedness drills. These include practicing the evacuation of the capital, Vilnius, via the Suwalki Corridor, a critical strip of land connecting Lithuania to other NATO member states.