# Ministry of National Defence (Lithuania)

The Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Respublikos krašto apsaugos ministerija) is government institution in Lithuania responsible for the organization of national defence.

## History

The first cabinet of ministers of the Republic of Lithuania was appointed on 11 November 1918, and the defence minister position was initially assumed by the Prime Minister Augustinas Voldemaras. The situation in Lithuania was tense after World War I. The first decree concerning the national defence was issued on 23 November 1918, which is officially considered the day of the formation of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. On 24 December 1918, lieutenant general Mykolas Velykis became the defence minister just for two days; on the 26th, he was replaced by Jonas Vileišis. As soon as Lithuania began forming its defence institutions, the country had to mobilize and fight the Lithuanian Wars of Independence.

## Defence Materiel Agency

The Defence Materiel Agency (Lithuanian: Gynybos Resursų Agentūra) is an institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Defence, and it is responsible for defence procurement and strategies.
As of 2023, about 100 people work at the Defence Materiel Agency.
In 2022, the Lithuanian Ministry of Economy and Innovation awarded the Defence Materiel Agency for high standards in its public procurement practices.

## Ministers

| Term | Minister | Party | Cabinet | Office | Office | Office |
| Term | Minister | Party | Cabinet | Start date | End date | Time in office |
| 1 | Audrius Butkevičius (born 1960) | Independent | Vagnorius | 13 January 1991 | 21 July 1992 | 1 year, 190 days |
| 2 | Audrius Butkevičius (born 1960) | Independent | Abišala | 21 July 1992 | 17 December 1992 | 149 days |
| 3 | Audrius Butkevičius (born 1960) | Independent | Lubys | 17 December 1992 | 31 March 1993 | 104 days |
| 4 | Audrius Butkevičius (born 1960) | Independent | Šleževičius | 31 March 1993 | 28 October 1993 | 211 days |
| 5 | Linas Antanas Linkevičius (born 1961) | Democratic Labour Party | Šleževičius | 28 October 1993 | 19 March 1996 | 2 years, 143 days |
| 6 | Linas Antanas Linkevičius (born 1961) | Democratic Labour Party | Stankevičius | 19 March 1996 | 10 December 1996 | 266 days |
| 7 | Česlovas Vytautas Stankevičius (born 1937) | Homeland Union | Vagnorius | 10 December 1996 | 10 June 1999 | 2 years, 182 days |
| 8 | Česlovas Vytautas Stankevičius (born 1937) | Homeland Union | Paksas | 10 June 1999 | 11 November 1999 | 154 days |
| 9 | Česlovas Vytautas Stankevičius (born 1937) | Homeland Union | Kubilius | 11 November 1999 | 9 November 2000 | 364 days |
| 10 | Linas Antanas Linkevičius (born 1961) | Social Democratic Party | Paksas | 9 November 2000 | 12 July 2001 | 245 days |
| 11 | Linas Antanas Linkevičius (born 1961) | Social Democratic Party | Brazauskas | 12 July 2001 | 14 December 2004 | 3 years, 155 days |
| 12 | Gediminas Kirkilas (1951-2024) | Social Democratic Party | Brazauskas | 14 December 2004 | 18 July 2006 | 1 year, 216 days |
| 13 | Juozas Olekas (born 1955) | Social Democratic Party | Kirkilas | 18 July 2006 | 9 December 2008 | 2 years, 144 days |
| 14 | Rasa Juknevičienė (born 1958) | Homeland Union | Kubilius | 9 December 2008 | 13 December 2012 | 4 years, 4 days |
| 15 | Juozas Olekas (born 1955) | Social Democratic Party | Butkevičius | 13 December 2012 | 13 December 2016 | 4 years, 0 days |
| 16 | Raimundas Karoblis (born 1968) | Independent | Skvernelis | 13 December 2016 | 11 December 2020 | 3 years, 364 days |
| 17 | Arvydas Anušauskas (born 1963) | Homeland Union | Šimonytė | 11 December 2020 | 13 March 2024 | 3 years, 93 days |
| 18 | Laurynas Kasčiūnas (born 1982) | Homeland Union | Šimonytė | 13 March 2024 | 13 December 2024 | 273 days |
| 19 | Dovilė Šakalienė (born 1978) | Social Democratic Party of Lithuania | Paluckas | 13 December 2024 | Incumbent | 93 days |