Germany’s historic decision to permanently station some of its combat troops outside of its borders has been met with a stark warning by the Kremlin.
On Monday, a first group of around 20 German soldiers arrived in Lithuania to begin setting up a base in the NATO nation.
This advance team will eventually be joined by 4,800 soldiers, part of a brigade that will be known as Panzerbrigade 45 and will serve at the new station.
200 civilians will also be housed at the station, planned to become fully operational by 2027.
This is part of a new effort by NATO members to bolster the defences of the military alliance’s eastern flank and deter Russia from attacking any other neighbour after its unlawful and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Much like the other two Baltic states, Lithuania has been seen as one of the possible targets of Russia should Vladimir Putin try to fulfil its dream of reinstating the URSS borders.
The German army considers Lithuania particularly exposed to the threat posed by the Kremlin as it borders with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad as well as Belarus – one of Putin’s closest allies which, in February 2022, facilitated the invasion of Ukraine by allowing some Russian troops to attack from its territory.
Moreover, Western military analysts believe the Suwalki Gap, the strip of Lithuanian territory between Belarus and Kaliningrad, could become an area of major tensions should the relations between NATO and Russia break down further.
Speaking about the historic deployment of German troops to Lithuania, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said at a farewell ceremony in Berlin: “This is the first time that we have permanently stationed such a unit outside Germany.
“I know there is still a lot to do, including on site. The infrastructure has to be right, the barracks have to be there, the accommodation.
“There is still a lot to be done on the Lithuanian side. We will do everything we can to equip the brigade as it needs to be equipped from the outset.”
Russia was quick to respond to Germany’s move, with Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin viewed “negatively” this development.
Issuing a chilling warning to the West, he added: “This continues an escalation of tensions, creating danger zones for us, near our borders, which, of course, requires us to take special measures to ensure our own security.”
