On April 8 the headquarters initial command element of the 45th Brigade Lithuania of the Bundeswehr and Commander of the German Army Lt Gen Alfons Mais. The headquarters initial command element of the German brigade to be stationed in Lithuania will comprise over 20 servicemembers.
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 the end of the year and will also take charge for assistance in moving the military personnel from Germany to the new stationing location.
Germany has made a commitment to deploy a heavy brigade with three maneuver battalions and all necessary enablers, including combat support and provision units, to Lithuania.
The Brigade 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.
In total, approx. 5 thousand German military and civilian personnel are expected to move to Lithuania with families in stationing the Brigade. They will serve across two locations – Rūdninkai and Rukla, military families will stay in Kaunas and Vilnius, additional logistical hubs will be developed in other areas of Lithuania as well.
Photo credit: Karolis Kavolėlis/ MoD
