VST is strengthening its elite unit, ORKA, capable of responding to hybrid threats

ORKA is a force of exceptionally well-selected and trained officers to carry out high-risk tasks assigned to VST.

“The unit is extremely important, because one of the functions and purposes of this unit is quick and operative response to hybrid threats. This is one of the strengths of this unit. Considering the current situation, it is extremely important to have officers who, although they are not part of the army, have particularly good training and can quickly react to certain situations of “green men” that may happen in Lithuania”, told journalists on Wednesday in the Kaunas district, in the vicinity of Karmėlava said Arūnas Paulauskas, the deputy head of the VST, who performs the functions of the head of the service.

ORKA team line-up

(23 photos)

ORKA team line-up, photo. Dmitry Kudriavtsev/Photodiena

The task of a team of exceptionally well-trained officers, almost invisible to the public, is to respond to armed attacks on strategic objects, the invasion of diverse groups and other threats to Lithuania outside of a state of war.

The officers of the ORKA team, together with other services, helped ensure the safety of some of the Russian opposition members living in Lithuania.

“We are staffing that unit, we are looking for new officers, we are trying to attract and hope to gradually expand that unit,” said A. Paulauskas.

The unit currently operates only in Kaunas, but it is desired to establish such a unit in Vilnius as well, near the eastern borders of the state.

ORKA fighters become part of the armed forces of Lithuania during the war.

Selection for the Operational Response Counterattack Team consists of several stages: there is a preliminary check of documents, health, impeccable reputation, the candidates are evaluated by a psychologist, there is also a test of combined endurance and logical thinking, practical shooting tasks, a mountaineering test, a test of physical fitness and combat self-defense are presented.

VST says that the main purpose of selection is to evaluate not only physical qualities or mental abilities, but also to push the candidate to the limits of his capabilities in order to evaluate his determination, stubbornness, motivation and courage. In addition, only existing officers – policemen, employees of other units of the State Security Service – can participate in the selection.

On Wednesday, in the vicinity of Karmėlava, six candidates competed for the opportunity to become an ORKA fighter: in the forest, wearing a backpack weighing about 20 kilograms, they carried a wooden box of similar weight, they also carried weapons, climbed a high mountain with them, flew through a water channel culvert and performed other tasks. A night in the forest and other tasks await the candidates.

“We hope to attract beautiful young people who, over time, will be able to become officers of this unit,” said A. Paulauskas.

The article is in Lithuanian

Tags: VST strengthening elite unit ORKA capable responding hybrid threats

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