A key member of NATO is beefing up its defences in preparation for a Russian attack, as fears grow of a wider conflict between the West and Moscow.

Lithuania lies in between Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, home to the Kremlin's Baltic fleet.

The country was part of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union before it gained its independence in 1991.

The country quickly became a member of both the EU and NATO in 2004, steps which it believed would secure its future economically and militarily.

However, in recent months the Kremlin has singled out Lithuania for sharp criticism, accusing the country of harbouring anti-Putin saboteurs.

Belarus has also claimed that the government is allowing its territory to be used for the launch of drone attacks on Minsk by anti-Lukashenko activists.

The aggressive rhetoric has raised fears of a possible future attack on Lithuania, leading officials to strengthen security throughout the country.

The mayor of the county's capital, Vilnius, has decided to invest in anti-tank defences to help repel any attack on the city.

Valdas Benkunskas said he plans to surround the capital with a defensive ring of anti-tank "hedgehogs" and “dragon teeth”, as well as concrete blocks.

"They are primarily needed to block the entry into the city by road," he explained. "The main roads in the southern and eastern direction, if you look at the external border of NATO.

"This also includes a network of small roads, starting with forest roads, gravel roads, which could be used during an attack on the city."

The map of roads that will be blocked, according to Benkunskas, was discussed with defence experts and will not be made public.

City officials are also drawing up plans to evacuate the city in one-and-a-half days.

"The task is to evacuate the city, all residents, in 1.5 days," the mayor said.

He added: "How to achieve this depends on the conditions. As I said, cases of sabotage and deliberate interference are possible.

"We will have at least five scenarios, depending on specific conditions."