Lithuania's Defense Ministry has drawn up a list of over 25,000 young people who could be conscripted in 2025.
It’s expected that around 3,900 of the eligible cohort will be called to serve in the military this year.
Following reforms in 2024, 18- to 22-year-olds who have finished school are eligible for military service in Lithuania, with options to suspend studies, complete junior officer training over three years or volunteer for non-permanent service in the National Defense Volunteer Forces. Students entering higher education can defer service or volunteer.
Lithuanian media said that the conscription list was generated by a computer program under the supervision of four independent observers.
“As of today, over 700 young people have already expressed their willingness to do military service. This is a good signal,” a Lithuanian military official told the country’s state broadcaster, LRT.
In addition to those selected from the conscription list, young men and women aged 18 to 38 can volunteer for military service.
'Special ammunition’ approved
The Lithuanian government has also authorized officers to use special ammunition and projectiles to neutralize suspicious weather balloons, drones and other unmanned vehicles on land, water or air. These tools can also be deployed to stop vehicles from posing immediate risks to life or property.
This measure is meant to address a rise in contraband smuggling via weather balloons from Belarus, with smugglers using GPS-equipped balloons to transport illegal cigarettes.
Border guards intercepted nine such balloons this week, following 226 recorded incidents last year.
