An ambitious initiative by the Bundeswehr (German Army) is taking shape: the deployment of around 5,000 German soldiers in Lithuania, reports DW. On April 1, a new 45th Tank Brigade was officially activated in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. This brigade forms the core of the combat unit with which Germany, at Lithuania’s request, will secure NATO’s eastern flank—a response to Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine.
The German army previously had eight brigades; now a ninth brigade is stationed permanently in Lithuania—a first in Bundeswehr history. The brigade’s emblem worn by soldiers features the Gediminas Tower, symbolizing the bond between Germany and Lithuania.
“Germany will be ready to defend every square centimeter of NATO territory,” emphasized Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in his first Bundestag speech after the government change. The German brigade’s deployment in Lithuania is “a strong signal to our partners and a clear message to any potential adversary.”
Lithuania, with 3 million inhabitants, lies between the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and the Russian ally Belarus, sharing a 680-km border with the latter. Lithuania is also working to form a capable tank force and has ordered 44 modern German-made Leopard 2A8 tanks—the same type used by the Bundeswehr in Lithuania, facilitating cooperation between the two armies.
Infrastructure and Personnel
Since summer 2023, Minister Pistorius has pushed forward the brigade formation. The brigade headquarters and first support units are already deployed, with a total of 500 German soldiers expected by the end of the year.
Construction is ongoing at the Rudninkai training grounds (about 30 km from the Belarus border) including barracks, new roads, and extension of a railway segment. Schools and kindergartens are being established in Vilnius and Kaunas for the soldiers’ families.
The full deployment will conclude by end of 2027, posing logistical and financial challenges for both countries. Lithuania has increased its defense budget, and the new German government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz will not hold back defense spending.
Personnel Challenge and Legal Framework
The Bundeswehr faces a personnel shortage. Recruiting 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian staff willing to serve for several years in Lithuania may prove difficult.
A government agreement signed in September 2024 between Germany and Lithuania provides the legal basis for the brigade’s permanent deployment.
To make service in NATO’s eastern flank more attractive, Minister Pistorius pushed for a new law passed earlier this year in the Bundestag, the “turning point legal provision,” which includes higher pay supplements and better conditions for domestic and overseas assignments.
Additional Notes
Germany has been present in Lithuania since 2017, commanding NATO’s multinational Buttlergroup unit, which in April came under the new tank brigade’s leadership.
The agreement grants the Bundeswehr the right to use Lithuanian facilities rent-free, store weapons and ammunition on site, operate postal offices, and open German-language schools and kindergartens.
