Germany launches first permanent foreign troop deployment since end of World War II

(MENAFN) Germany has launched its first permanent foreign troop deployment since the end of World War II, stationing the 45th Armored Brigade in Lithuania near the border with Belarus, a key Russian ally. The move marks a major strategic shift amid growing concerns over future conflict with Russia.

A formal ceremony near Vilnius on Tuesday marked the beginning of the brigade’s mission, with Brigadier General Christoph Huber taking command. “Our mission is clear – to protect the freedom and security of our Lithuanian allies on NATO’s eastern front,” he said, as reported by the German military association and national media.

Troops who arrived in Lithuania last year to lay the groundwork for the deployment have now been officially absorbed into the unit. By 2027, the brigade is expected to reach full operational strength with about 5,000 personnel and roughly 2,000 heavy weapons, according to plans from the German Army.

Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has been a vocal supporter of the deployment, warning that Russia could pose a military threat to NATO by the end of the decade – a claim Moscow has firmly denied.

The brigade is the result of a 2023 agreement between Germany and Lithuania, initially establishing the unit as the 42nd Brigade. Two battalions will be entirely German, while a third will include troops from other NATO nations. Key elements of the brigade will be based at the Rudninkai training area, just 20 kilometers from Belarus, with other units located in Rukla, between Vilnius and Kaunas.

Previously, Germany limited its overseas military involvement to temporary NATO missions, such as its participation in Afghanistan after 2001. This latest deployment marks a significant break from that postwar policy.

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