BERLIN — Germany officially launched its first permanent foreign troop deployment since World War II on Tuesday — a 5,000-strong armored brigade in Lithuania — as Berlin moves to bolster NATO’s eastern flank in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
According to the German military’s lobbying group, the newly created 45th Armored Brigade was formally activated during a ceremony outside Vilnius. A temporary headquarters was established, with the brigade’s crest unveiled and the unit now officially under the command of Brigadier General Christoph Huber.
“We have a clear mission: to ensure the protection, freedom and security of our Lithuanian allies on NATO’s eastern flank,” Huber told dpa, the German press agency. “In doing so, we also protect NATO territory — and Germany itself.”
Berlin pledged the long-term deployment in 2023, breaking with decades of German defense policy that avoided permanent stationing of combat troops abroad. The unit is set to be fully operational by 2027 and will eventually be based in a new military complex in Rūdninkai, roughly 30 kilometers south of Vilnius. Until then, troops will operate out of temporary Lithuanian bases.
The plan includes not just frontline forces but also support units — such as a medical center, signal company and command support teams — across multiple locations.
Currently, 150 German troops are stationed in Lithuania. That number is expected to reach 500 by year’s end.
For NATO, the deployment represents a critical part of the alliance’s shift to deterrence by forward defense. For Germany, it’s a major step in shedding its reputation as a reluctant military power.
Lithuania, which borders Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Kremlin ally Belarus, sees the move as vital to its national security. The war in Ukraine has turned the Baltic region into a frontline zone — and Berlin’s presence into a symbol of NATO’s long-term commitment.
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