German general says special mission on NATO's eastern flank on track

The commander of the German Army brigade that is to be stationed in Lithuania said plans for the large-scale troop deployment are progressing well.

Brigadier General Christoph Huber, the future commander of the Bundeswehr combat unit in Lithuania, told dpa that he wants to prepare his soldiers for their special role on NATO's eastern flank from the outset.

Small details matter, such as the physical fitness of the troops, he said. One of his first moves as commander of the Lithuania Brigade was to scheduled joint sports and marches for the soldiers. "Small things, but in the end they should help to make it clear to all of us that we have a very special mission here," he said.

The stationing of the brigade, which is to be combat-ready and capable of independent action by 2027, is a response to the changed security situation in eastern Europe following Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

The plan is for a permanent presence of up to 5,000 men and women, 3,000 of whom will be based at the planned main location in a coniferous forest south of Vilnius, close to the border with Russia's close ally Belarus.

Huber says the construction plans are on the right track. "The speed at which the necessary infrastructure is being established is impressive," he said.

Construction vehicles and excavators are now rolling on the access roads to the future barracks site, and the area is being levelled and prepared for the construction work.

"We are talking about building a small town from scratch," says Huber. "One thing must be clear: we cannot relocate our formations and units if accommodation is not guaranteed."