Lithuania Bans Russian, Belarusian, and Chinese Dual Citizens in Military Service
19 December, 2024 Members of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Photo from open sources. Lithuania has banned people with Russian, Belarusian or Chinese citizenship from serving in the country's armed forces.
They will also not be allowed to join the Riflemen's Union, which is part of the country's defense forces. This was reported by the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT. On Thursday, December 19, the Seimas deputies voted for the relevant amendments to the laws.
According to the adopted amendments, Lithuanians who have dual citizenship in countries to which the Lithuanian government has banned travel (including Russia, Belarus, and China) will not be allowed to perform professional military service and to serve in volunteer forces, as well as other forms of voluntary and compulsory military service.
Illustrative photo of servicemen of the Armed Forces of Lithuania. Photo from open sources
Active military servicemen who obtain the citizenship of these countries will be dismissed. The same requirement will apply to members of the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union.
The relevant amendments to the law were drafted and registered in November 2024 by the Lithuanian Minister of Defense and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense.
Members of the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union. Photo credits: Lithuanian Ministry of Defense
At the time, Defense Minister Laurinas Kasciunas noted that this ban was necessary to prevent the leakage of information related to national defense through persons with dual citizenship. He also added that due to possible ties with "hostile states," such servicemen could, on their own initiative, carry out destructive activities against Lithuania's national defense.
Production of anti-tank barriers at the Gelmesta enterprise.
Photo: LRT TV
The country is also expanding the production of anti-tank barriers as part of its stockpile for the Baltic Defense Line.
Per this program, Lithuania seeks to create special areas where mines, barbed wire, anti-tank hedgehogs, dragon teeth, and other barriers will be installed.