Lithuania Boosts Energy Infrastructure Security Amid New Hybrid Threats

Lithuania is bolstering the defenses of its critical energy infrastructure, recognizing a growing spectrum of hybrid threats beyond traditional technical failures or natural disasters. Strategic assets like power stations and transformers must now be prepared for physical sabotage, cyberattacks, drone incursions, and disinformation campaigns.

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The spectrum of possible threats is wider today than ever before – these are cyberattacks, physical sabotage, dangers posed by unmanned aerial vehicles, disinformation campaigns.

Artūras Kuliešas, head of "Litgrid's" Infrastructure Resilience Program, highlighted that the most significant concern is not a single threat but the synergistic effect of multiple threats occurring simultaneously. He specifically pointed to the danger posed by drones, which can be used for reconnaissance or direct physical damage, emphasizing that even small drones can inflict considerable harm.

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The greatest concern is not a single threat, but a combination of them, for example, combined scenarios where several threats occur simultaneously and thus reinforce each other.

"The preparation for such threats includes the implementation and testing of drone neutralization systems, clear response protocols, and inter-institutional cooperation with the Public Security Service, the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and the police," Kuliešas stated. He also noted a shift in infrastructure design philosophy, moving from a primary focus on energy efficiency to prioritizing resilience against physical threats, a change driven by the evolving geopolitical landscape.

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Drones can be used both for reconnaissance before planning further actions and for direct physical impact on infrastructure facilities.

"Over the past few years, the level of protection for energy facilities in Lithuania has significantly increased," Kuliešas added. This includes substantial investments in grid infrastructure, resilience measures, and cybersecurity, further strengthened by the Baltic states' synchronization with the continental European power grid in February 2025, which ended dependence on the Russian-controlled system. Currently, over 15 projects and 150 individual measures are underway to enhance the resilience of the electricity transmission network across Lithuania.

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It is a mistake to think that only large military drones pose a threat to energy infrastructure, such as 'Geran' or 'Shahed'. Cases have occurred in Ukraine and other countries where small unmanned aerial vehicles were used to cause significant damage. Such threats cannot be ignored.