VILNIUS — Lithuania plans to restart military conscription, which it ended in 2008, to address growing concerns about Russian assertiveness in the Baltic region, President Dalia Grybauskaite has said.
"Today's geopolitical environment requires us to strengthen the army, and do it as fast as possible," Grybauskaite said after a meeting of the country's defense council.
The Baltic states are concerned that Russian annexation of Crimea and support for rebels in east Ukraine may be a foretaste of it reasserting itself in other former Soviet territories.
Latvia's defense minister has suggested increasing army numbers by 2,000 to 7,000 men, but there are no plans to introduce the draft. Estonia has maintained conscription.
Lithuania's new conscription would apply to men between the ages of 19 and 26 with exemptions for certain categories, such as university students and single fathers and would recruit about 3,500 men per year. It would be up for renewal after a 5-year period.
Lithuania's parliament still needs to approve the plan.
The Baltic states spent much of the last century incorporated into the Soviet Union, and upon independence in 1991 quickly sought to join NATO and the European Union.
Lithuania borders the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad where Moscow carried out a military drill in December with 9,000 soldiers and more than 55 naval vessels.
NATO has increased the number of fighter planes patrolling the Baltic skies, intensified military drills and agreed to set up command centers there to protect the region in the event of any threat from Russia.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.