German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius observed the "Freedom Shield" military exercises in Lithuania, dedicated to the defense of NATO's eastern flank.
Modern.az reports, citing the "Tagesschau" news service, that a total of up to 2,900 soldiers and about 800 military vehicles from eight NATO countries are participating in the exercises held at the Pabrade military training ground, located approximately 20 kilometers from the Belarusian border. Of these, 2,300 are soldiers from the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr).
Within the framework of the exercises, the application of unmanned aerial vehicles and methods of combating them are being tested. For this purpose, more than 300 drones are used. The combined use of drones with tanks and other traditional weapon systems serves to simulate possible combat conditions on NATO's eastern flank as realistically as possible.
Germany has committed to the permanent deployment of Bundeswehr forces in Lithuania after the Russia-Ukraine war. According to the plan, a German tank brigade should be formed as a fully combat-ready unit consisting of approximately 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian employees by 2027. Currently, approximately 1,800 Bundeswehr personnel are serving in Lithuania.
