Overview
- The government reports 6,453 shelters with space for about 1.5 million people, roughly 54% of Lithuania’s population, with more than half of municipalities lacking sufficient space.
- The Interior Ministry’s civil‑defence program, launched last year, is channeling tens of millions of euros to modernize shelters and has released an interactive map of shelters and evacuation centers plus updated 72‑hour survival guidance.
- Vilnius plans to modernize 32 shelters and aims for them to be ready within 12 hours of an emergency, alongside an approved wartime evacuation plan prioritizing vulnerable residents and assigning support roles to others.
- Authorities are urging municipalities and property owners to accelerate construction and upgrades, with new residential buildings and large public facilities now required to include bomb shelters and guidance to prepare secure rooms at home.
- Public interest has risen since the July incursions by drones from Belarus, reflected in higher participation in Lithuanian Red Cross preparedness trainings and private efforts to convert basements into functional bunkers.