More about this in TV3 news.
The last few weeks are one of the most intense for our soldiers. There are many exercises, both national and with allies.
On Monday, joint tactical maneuvers with the Germans and the French took place at the Pabrade training ground.
That the exercise is extraordinary is shown not only by the fact that Gitanas Nausėda came to the training ground, but also by the arrival of German Chancellor Olaf Sholz.
The biggest exercise since the Cold War
In recent weeks, 3,000 German soldiers have arrived in Lithuania for exercises, and they brought about 200 pieces of military equipment with them.
“During this exercise, the Bundeswehr is demonstrating its capacity. Alliance and German capacity. This is the biggest exercise since the Cold War,” said O. Sholz.
The exercise is taking place at a time when Germany has started the transfer of its brigade of 5,000 soldiers assigned to Lithuania to our country. Although only a few dozen officers have moved so far, the brigade’s relocation will take place gradually. The brigade in Lithuania must reach full combat capacity in 2027.
“I am happy with the progress of the deployment of the brigade, but our strategic security environment requires an even faster pace, we don’t have the luxury of wasting a single minute,” assures G. Nausėda.
Speeding up the transfer of the brigade is not easy
The Germans estimate that it will cost them around 11 billion euros. And then maintaining the brigade in Lithuania will cost another billion every year.
“Germany recognizes its responsibility for security in NATO, that is why we are deploying an entire brigade here in Lithuania, and this is our Germany’s convincing contribution to deterring any threat on NATO territory,” said the German Chancellor.
It is true that accelerating the transfer of the brigade, as Nausėda wants, is not easy. The German brigade is not yet fully formed.
“As I understand it, Germany is ready to fully implement that plan at the moment, because personnel is being prepared, contracts are being written, units, equipment, weaponry, and ammunition are being assembled,” says army commander Valdemaras Rupšys.
For its part, Lithuania is still installing the necessary infrastructure for the Germans – it is building a new military town at the Rūdninkai training ground.
Learn more about it in the video report at the top of the article.
