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Lithuania starts construction of military base for German troops near Russian border

by Olena Goncharova August 20, 2024 3:36 AM 2 min read

Lithuanian border guard officers patrol along the Belarus–Lithuania border on July 10, 2023, in Dieveniskes, Lithuania. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Omar Marques/Getty Images)

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Lithuania on Aug. 19 began construction of a military base that will house up to 4,000 combat-ready German troops, with completion expected by the end of 2027. This marks the first permanent foreign deployment for the German military since World War II.

Germany made the commitment to station troops in Lithuania, a NATO and European Union member bordering Russia, in 2023. Lithuania shares a 227-kilometer (141 miles) border with Russia.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius likened this decision to the deployment of allied forces in West Germany during the Cold War, aimed at defending Western Europe against a potential Soviet attack.

Lithuanian Chief of Defense Raimundas Vaiksnoras estimated that the country will invest over 1 billion euros ($1.10 billion) in the next three years to develop the military base, marking one of the largest construction projects in Lithuania's history, according to Reuters.

Vaiksnoras described it as "a huge investment" for a nation of 2.9 million people with an economy just one-tenth the size of Germany's. Speaking at the launch ceremony, he said that "the brigade will serve as reassurance for our population and as a deterrent, aimed at pushing the Russians out."

The base in Rudninkai, located near the capital Vilnius and just 20 km (12 miles) from Belarus, will accommodate up to 4,000 troops, with facilities for tank storage and maintenance, as well as shooting ranges of various sizes. Additionally, around 1,000 more German military personnel and civilian contractors will be stationed at other locations in Lithuania.

Lithuania has increased its defense spending to 3% of its gross domestic product this year. To support ongoing defense needs, including the construction of the base, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's government has raised taxes for the coming years.

Author: Olena Goncharova

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