Lithuania: Klaipeda prepares for war with Russia

Klaipeda municipality is preparing for war with Russia because of the problem with Kaliningrad transit.

Medical institutions of Klaipeda will be ready to provide assistance to patients in the event of the outbreak of hostilities on the territory of Lithuania. Officials in charge say the city’s municipalities and hospitals are stockpiling reserves, Klaipeda News reported yesterday.

Klaipeda hospitals are repairing underground tunnels, accumulating reserves, “reviving” and “resuscitating” bunkers and shelters on their territory that will house underground hospitals.

The war in Ukraine and subsequent threats by Russian officials to Lithuania over the Kaliningrad transit problem have forced hospital managers to think about securing medical facilities in the event of adverse scenarios.

“Most of our medical facilities, have accumulated funds, especially those for surgeries, for one to three months in advance. The second-tier reserve is the reserve accumulated by the city government, which will come to the rescue if the medical facilities use their reserve. Well, and if the city no longer “holds out”, the State reserve comes to the rescue,” said the head of the Klaipeda municipality’s health care department, Rožė Perminienė

Moreover, according to her, some hospitals are repairing and “reanimating” bunkers and shelters on their premises. The official did not specify which medical institutions have taken such measures, but apparently, the hospital campus in the north of the city is in question.

Rector of the University of Klaipeda, member of the city council, and surgeon of the Seamen’s Hospital Artūras Razbadauskas believes that the government must pay increased attention in light of external threats from Russia. If only because there is a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal here. This, he says, already carries certain risks for the city.

He also said that the Seamen’s Hospital and Klaipeda University Hospital (the largest medical institution in the port city) are connected by underground tunnels. True, they are now out of service and in need of repair, but they can be brought up to date.

“Klaipeda University Hospital is connected to the Seamen’s Hospital by underground tunnels, which, unfortunately, we have not been able to connect for the past 30 years, so they need to be connected immediately. The underground tunnels could become a military hospital with permanent specialized medical care,” says Prof. Razbadauskas.

Professor Vinsas Janušonis, the chief physician at Klaipėda University Hospital, also confirmed that the hospital is preparing for possible military action.

“We have drawn up an emergency management plan <…>. We have accumulated and increased reserves of necessary drugs, medicines that are needed to provide quick and urgent care during a military conflict. Also, most importantly, we have provided for an increase in the number of reserve personnel, we are ready to call in additional personnel. In addition, water and food supplies have been provided. A shelter has also been prepared, adapted both for hiding and for providing specialized treatment. Tunnels placed in all the buildings of the hospital are also used,” shared a detailed list of work Professor Vinsas Janušonis.

As for the negative aspects, Prof. Janušonis points out that it would be difficult for the hospital to be self-sufficient – it lacks water wells and mini power plants to generate electricity.