Today, April 8, the first troops of the initial command element of the 45th German Brigade were welcomed to Lithuania at Vilnius International Airport. The unit deployed to Lithuania includes 21 members from 15 regions and 16 different military units of Germany. The initial command element of the 45th German Brigade Litauen will be led by Col André Hastenrath who has been deployed to serve in Lithuania before.
“The German commitment to station a brigade in Lithuania is a historical decision for Lithuania and Germany alike. We are grateful to you for this decision. Let me assure you that creation of proper conditions in terms of military infrastructure and civilian services is a priority of our Government and my principal aim in this capacity. I would like to highlight it is not only a new page in the Lithuania-German cooperation we are turning with the arrival of the Brigade but also a new page of a deeper Lithuanian-German partnership,” said Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas welcoming the German military personnel.
“Today, less than four months after signing the Brigade deployment roadmap, we have the initial command element of the 45th Mechanized Brigade Litauen of Germany here in our state. To us it is an even more effective deterrence of the aggressor and more security, and it is an instance of exceptional leadership and commitment which lets us behold the NATO collective defence and unity in action,” Chief of Defence f Lithuania General Valdemaras Rupšys.
“Today Germany has sent the first visible sign of the German Brigade deployment to Lithuania: the 45th Tank Brigade. This stationing is a Bundeswehr-wide effort and here we are today in Lithuania taking our first steps. Just like the Allies guarding peace and freedom in German territories during the Cold War, so today our mission is to deter aggression beyond German boundaries and to defend every inch of the Alliance is required,’ said Chief of the German Army Lieutenant General Alfons Mais at Vilnius International Airport who has flown to Lithuania together with his troops.
The first arrivers will settle in in Vilnius and oversee the planning and military infrastructure conformity requirement agreement. The initial element will keep expanding until 150 members by the end of the year and will also take charge for assistance in moving the military personnel from Germany to the new stationing location.
The German Brigade will be mover to Lithuania in two stages: this year Lithuania begins to host the first troops, while the main volume of the Brigade will arrive over 2025-2026. The Brigade will reach Full Operational Capability in 2027. It is expected to host the total of approx. 4800 German military service members and 200 civilians.
The German Brigade will move into its permanent residence in the Rūdninkai Training Area in Šalčininkai region as soon as its infrastructure is completed. The Training Area will be occupied by the major part of the Brigade while the remainder of it will settle in in Rukla. The troops with families will live in Vilnius and Kaunas.
The Brigade will be moved to Lithuania in several stages and will comprise three maneuver battalions with all enablers necessary for a battalion, including combat support and provisions units. It will be formed by existing and newly established units. The 203rd Panzer Battalion from North Rhine–Westphalia and the 122nd Panzergrenadier Battalion from Bavaria will be moved to Lithuania, while the enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Lithuania will be transformed into a multinational battalion and become an integral part of the brigade.
The German force presence in Lithuania will strengthen deterrence and if necessary, set the conditions for Lithuania’s forward defence. The German Brigade Litauen is also an important constituent part of the NATO collective defence.

Photo credits: K. Kavolėlis /MoD