Germany Moves Troops to Belarus Border in NATO Shift
Germany is moving thousands of Bundeswehr troops to Lithuania near the Belarus border, marking a major NATO eastern flank deployment.
Germany is moving nearly 5,000 troops toward the border with Belarus, according to journalists from Bild.
The outlet reported that around 1,800 Bundeswehr soldiers are already stationed in Lithuania. They are currently taking part in military exercises near the Belarusian border.
Bild also said that Germany plans to deploy two battalions in the region on a permanent basis by the end of 2027. The report noted that compulsory involvement of personnel to fully staff the brigade has not been ruled out.
According to Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, inspector of the German Army, the command’s key objective is to bring the brigade in Lithuania to full combat readiness as early as next year.
Bild journalists noted that, for the first time in its history, the Bundeswehr will permanently station a large number of troops abroad, directly near the border with Belarus.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said that infrastructure work for the brigade is moving ahead of schedule by roughly ten months. In his view, the German battalions could be fully formed by the end of 2027, or even earlier.
Kaunas also stressed that the German contingent plays a key role in deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank and is seen as an important element of Lithuania’s security.