Vilnius, 29 April. Soldiers of the German Brigade inspected the Rūdninkai military campus and assessed on site the rapidly advancing infrastructure development where the bulk of the brigade will be stationed, the Ministry of National Defence has reported.
According to the ministry, a series of visits for soldiers planning to serve in Lithuania began at the end of April. During the visits, they are being introduced to their future living and service conditions.
Minister of National Defence Robertas Kaunas emphasised that the development of the Rūdninkai military training area is one of Lithuania’s most important projects in fulfilling its commitments to its allies.
“This is a national project, demonstrating a firm commitment both to national security and to our German allies. It is important that not only the German leadership, but also the soldiers themselves, who are planning to choose service in Lithuania, can see the excellent service conditions for themselves,” Kaunas was quoted as saying in the statement.
Alexander Götz, Director-General of the Infrastructure, Environmental Protection and Services Office at the German Ministry of Defence, who visited the Rūdninkai military campus under construction, said he had seen major progress there since his visit in 2024.
“This will be our main service location, and it is truly impressive. I first visited the site in October 2024 — at that time, there was almost nothing here, only a few gravel roads. Now the change is astonishing: we can already see barracks that have been built, training infrastructure being developed rapidly, and enormous progress made over the past two years,” Götz said.
He was echoed by the commander of the German Brigade in Lithuania, Brigadier General Christoph Huber. According to him, the visit was an excellent opportunity to show how much had already been done and how much more would be completed in the coming years.
“We want to show this in person: what the accommodation, workplaces, shooting ranges and training areas will look like. This is the main message for the representatives of the German armed forces who have come here — how quickly Lithuania is creating modern, advanced and high-level infrastructure,” said the commander of the German Brigade in Lithuania.
At the same time, Huber emphasised that the brigade’s deployment in Lithuania is an important part of NATO’s deterrence.
“We are here to deter any possible aggression against the Alliance. We will ensure that every centimetre of NATO territory is defended,” he stressed.
Berlin committed in the summer of 2022 to deploying a brigade-sized military unit in Lithuania. In total, around 5,000 German Brigade soldiers and civilians are expected to be relocated to Lithuania. Some of them will arrive with their families.
The bulk of the brigade was planned to be relocated to Lithuania by 2026. According to German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, the brigade will reach full operational capability in 2027.
