Synopsis
NATO’s multinational forces in Lithuania stand ready to defend the Alliance’s northeastern territory.
A troop presence that began with a multinational battlegroup in 2017 has now grown in size to include thousands of troops, thanks to the permanent addition of a German Army tank brigade in the country, bringing the total number of troops under NATO control in Lithuania to more than 5,000. This deployment adds a significant amount of combat power, from infantry fighting vehicles and powerful Leopard 2 tanks to artillery and air defence capabilities. Other countries contributing forces include Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway.
After eight years of training alongside the Lithuanian Army, the German brigade is fully integrated with their host nation’s defence plans and is ready to defend Allied territory against all aggression.
Lithuania is also further protected by the new NATO activity ‘Eastern Sentry’, which boosts NATO’s vigilance along the entire eastern flank with more air, land and sea-based military assets. The activity also includes innovative technologies to tackle new challenges, like the ones we see from drones. Additionally, it helps to better connect the military assets that are already available, from the High North to the Black Sea, and elsewhere in the Alliance.
Transcript
—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH—
Lieutenant Colonel Malte Bolanz, German Army
“It’s important that NATO has a strong presence to the NATO eastern border here in Lithuania. To defend Lithuania.”
— TEXT ON SCREEN —
NATO IN LITHUANIA
—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH—
Lieutenant Colonel Malte Bolanz, German Army
“We trained defence operations. So we trained, if Lithuania will be attacked by an enemy, that we are ready to fight and ready to defend Lithuania.”
— TEXT ON SCREEN —
NINE
NATO
ALLIES
ONE
MULTINATIONAL
FORCE
AND A GERMAN TANK BRIGADE
—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH—
Lieutenant Colonel Malte Bolanz, German Army
“The base of all is the new Tank Brigade 45. So the people will see more exercises, more defence operations, for sure more tanks, more multinational soldiers.”
— TEXT ON SCREEN —
ALLIED FIGHTER JETS
GUARD THE SKIES
—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH—
Colonel Vasile Petrea, Romanian Air Force
“It’s not about only the Baltic airspace, it’s about NATO airspace. And protecting each other whenever it’s needed. So that’s important. It shows commitment of NATO for all the states.”
— TEXT ON SCREEN —
NATO IS STRENGTHENING OUR DEFENCES EVEN FURTHER
MORE JETS AND AIR DEFENCE SYSTEMS
PROTECTING AGAINST ANY THREAT COMING FROM THE SKIES
—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH—
Lieutenant Colonel Malte Bolanz, German Army
“Our battle cry is, I always say “Battlegroup!” and my soldiers say “Ready to fight!”.
All these nations, if it is necessary, can work and can fight together.”
END
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