Latvia and Lithuania carried out a cooperative civil defense exercise on Tuesday to practice moving citizens across the border from Šiauliai, Lithuania, to the Kekava municipality in Latvia amidst a mock military danger, according to an announcement by Latvia’s State Fire and Rescue Service that was covered by Xinhua.
The planned exercise simulated the voluntary evacuation of Lithuanian residents as a precaution. The drill placed its primary attention on the reception procedures by Latvian authorities, data-sharing mechanisms between organizations in both nations, and post-arrival support coordination.
Kekava municipality served as the host, with activities scheduled at and around Balozi Secondary School. It was the second field exercise under MassMovement, a joint project within the Interreg Latvia-Lithuania program. The first drill, held on Nov. 5, tested evacuation in the opposite direction, from Latvia to Lithuania.
🇱🇻🇱🇹Latvia and Lithuania continue joint exercises on the "reciprocal" evacuation of their populations. Today’s maneuvers will include a drill for transporting people from Šiauliai (Lithuania) to Ķekava (Latvia). The scenario places special emphasis on those who may require…
Lithuania’s Fire and Rescue Department reported that Lithuania and Latvia held a joint practical cross-border civilian evacuation exercise on November 5, testing how residents would be moved between the two countries during a major crisis, United24 Media reported. Up to 100 volunteers participated across both exercise days, traveling by bus across the border while authorities tested procedures including public warning, registration, transport, reception, temporary accommodation, and food provision.
“This year, Lithuania approved a detailed population evacuation plan, but it is equally important to test preparedness in practice,” said Kęstutis Agintas, deputy director of Lithuania’s Fire and Rescue Department, as reported by United24 Media.
“In the event of a large-scale crisis, population evacuation may cross state borders, so it is necessary to coordinate institutional actions in advance,” Agintas added.
