Germany is amassing troops at the doorstep of Russia for the first time since World War II. German forces will be stationed on NATO’s eastern flank in Lithuania. This marks the first time since World War II that German soldiers will be on a permanent foreign mission.

Germany’s armed forces, Bundeswehr, announced that their troops will be stationed on NATO’s eastern flank in Lithuania, and the unit will be fully operational by 2027.

This signifies that the soldiers in the country will be on a permanent foreign mission for the first time since World War II.

5 THOUSAND TROOPS TO BE DEPLOYED The brigade will be operational by 2027 and will have a permanent presence with up to 5 thousand soldiers. They will mostly be stationed in a barracks with a yet to be built military training area located about 20 miles south of Vilnius. Until then, the units will operate from temporary bases in Lithuania. The commander of the German brigade, Brigadier General Christoph Huber, stated, “We have a clear mission. We must ensure the protection, freedom, and security of our Lithuanian allies in NATO’s eastern flank.” Germany had previously deployed troops to Afghanistan, but that was not a permanent mission.

LITHUANIA’S CRUCIAL POSITION Lithuania shares borders with Moscow’s close ally Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad territory. Experts believe these territories could become a likely site of any future conflict between Moscow and NATO. A multi-year Roadmap Action Plan between Germany and Lithuania was agreed upon in December 2023.

STRENGTHENING NATO’S EASTERN FLANK Both countries described the agreement as a historic moment for themselves and NATO, defining it as a step to strengthen the alliance’s eastern flank as a response to Russia’s aggression. The plan was to deploy thousands of combat-ready troops to the Baltic states by 2027.

“RUSSIA PREPARING FOR WAR WITH NATO”

A temporary headquarters has been set up for the unit led by Brigadier General Christoph Huber. The approximately 150 troops under Huber’s command are expected to increase to 500 by the end of 2025. According to a recent report from the German Bild newspaper, the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and armed forces believe that Moscow is preparing for a major war with NATO.