Long Lines Have Formed At Military Registration Offices In Lithuania

• 15.07.2026, 9:13

A record number of young people want to join the Lithuanian army.

This year, more than 8,100 young people in Lithuania have expressed a desire to voluntarily serve in the mandatory military service. According to the Lithuanian Army, this is the highest figure recorded to date, reports Delfi.

According to the army, nearly 4,400 people expressed a desire to begin service even before being included on the draft lists, and 3,700 declared their desire to serve on a priority basis after the lists were compiled.

“The record number of young people who have voluntarily chosen to serve shows that more and more young people are eager to contribute to strengthening national security and understand their role in the system of universal defense,” – Arūnas Balčiūnas, director of the Military Service and Recruitment Service of the Military Commandant’s Office , is quoted as saying in the statement.

At the same time, he noted that due to the limited number of spots, not all applicants will be accepted into service this year.

According to the Lithuanian Army, young people who have received an invitation to study and subsequently a decision to be drafted into mandatory initial military service may take a leave of absence from their studies to complete their service and return to their studies upon its completion.