Lithuania plans to expand military calls to a universal recruiting system by 2032, increasing annual recruiting by nearly 50% amid increased security threats in the region.
The country’s State Defence Council approved the deadline Thursday, with President Gitanas Nausda announcing an annual increase in recruiting from more than 5,000 to about 7,500 people.
Under the current system of partial recruiting in Lithuania, only one selection of men is recruited annually. The universal revision would require that all qualified youths serve, with legal exceptions.
The transition is estimated to cost 100-120m euros and is expected to expand Lithuania’s active military reserve from about 50,000 to 74,000 personnel by 2040.
Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius said the government had requested an earlier distribution, but agreed to give the military more time to prepare.
Army has clearly declared that it will be ready by 2032, Sinkevicius said, citing the need to train about 300 additional instructors and expand accommodation for recruits.
Lithuania restored partial recruiting in 2015, a year after Russia’s annexation of the Crimea, overturning an earlier change towards a fully professional army.
The planned expansion comes as Lithuania and its Baltic neighbours, along with Poland, boost military readiness amid fears of aggression by Moscow and growing concerns about the Russian hybrid war along the eastern NATO wing.
Lithuania has faced alleged Russian operations and repeated intimidation interventions, including an incident in September, when NATO warplanes fired a threat entering its airspace from Belarus.
Another alleged fears erupted over the country in October, forcing residents to seek refuge.
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Source Layer: Signal
