On September 17 President of the Republic of Lithuania HE Gitanas Nausėda accompanied by Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis, Chief of Defence of Lithuania Major General Valdemaras Rupšys, and other representatives of the Ministry of National Defence and the Lithuanian Armed Forces paid a visit to Rukla, the place with the highest density of based military units in Lithuania.
The President met with soldiers of Lithuania and the German-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group, took interest in their living conditions, viewed quarters of the Continuous Mandatory Initial Military Service conscripts, had lunch together with them at the barracks canteen, and observed a tactical interoperability training event.
The Head of State familiarised with the activity and tasks of the military units of Rukla Garrison – Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf, Lithuanian Great Hetman Jonušas Radvila Training Regiment, and the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group (NATO eFP BG), and discussed continuity of the armed forces development and modernisation projects and ensurement of closer cooperation with allies.
The President also tried out the newly acquired Vilkas Infantry Fighting Vehicles manufactured by a German company specifically for the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The first four of the 88 bought vehicles have been formally handed over to the Lithuanian Armed Forces this summer, the rest will be delivered by the end of 2021.
The NATO eFP BG is currently integrated into the Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf and manned by Belgian, Czech, Dutch and Norwegian military and one representative of Iceland, aside from the German troops.
The soldiers deployed in Rukla are the core of the Lithuanian Land Force. This is the first visit to see Lithuanian Armed Forces military personnel of the current Head of State as the Commander-in-Chief.
Photo credits: Sgt Spc Ieva Budzeikaitė, Sgt 1st Class Virginijus Stonys
