About 5,000 German soldiers will be moved to Lithuania amid concerns about NATO’s eastern flank, and infrastructure work to support them is running well ahead of schedule, WELT reported.
Lithuania’s Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas told the paper ahead of a visit by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius that construction of barracks, schools, day care centers, and medical facilities for German troops and their families is proceeding faster than planned.
“On the first phase of deployment we are 10 months ahead of schedule,” Kaunas said.
“That means we have made great progress building infrastructure and can start the second phase earlier.”
He added that the 45th Tank Brigade, under Brig. Gen. Christoph Huber, will be fully staffed and combat-ready at least through the end of 2027.
About 1,800 German troops are already in Lithuania on
rotational duty. This month they are taking part in large-scale exercises,
Freedom Shield 2026, at the Pabradė training area, about 20 kilometers from the
Belarusian border.