A brigade of more than 5,000 German soldiers will be deployed there as part of NATO’s new planning process.
Monday started in Lithuania the construction of a military base for a German brigade recently deployed to Rudninkai training camp.
Officials from both Lithuania and Germany symbolically took the first steps at the construction site as construction began. first phase of development from the military base.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Vilnius and Berlin agreed on the deployment permanent presence of a German brigade in Lithuania, one of the countries most threatened by its proximity to Russia.
“It is one of the most important efforts currently being carried out by the German Armed Forces“, declared the State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Defense, Nils Hilmer.
A new military city
Lithuania has committed to building the camp, including the infrastructure of a new military city which will occupy 200 hectares of land. The buildings to be erected include administrative buildings, maintenance and storage infrastructure, a guard building and residential dormitories.
Berlin aims to maintain a military brigade fully stationed in Lithuania until 2027. German officials have stated that the pace of the transfer will depend on Lithuania’s willingness to receive the soldiers and their families. The brigade is expected It is made up of about 5,000 soldiers. So far, Lithuania has estimated that a third of them will come with their families.
Military and training investments related to brigade deployment could reach the 800 million eurosaccording to the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense.
“This marks a change in the NATO planning process“, declared the Lithuanian Minister of Defense, Laurynas Kasčiūnas. “Now we have reached the deterrence by denial: have enough forces so that the enemy does not even think of setting foot on the territory of Lithuania with his dirty boots.”
