Thursday the Seimas passed a resolution authorizing 323 persons as the maximum number of Lithuanian military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System that can be deployed to international operations in 2022-2023 at the same time. The document covers 12 international operations, Lithuania has been contributing to ten of them already and will join two more in the nearest while.
“Our priority for international operations next year remains NATO, EU, UN, and allied coalitions-led international operations, and also the Lithuanian National Military Training Operation in Ukraine,” says Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas.
In 2022 Lithuania begins contributing with a transport aircraft with crew and maintenance personnel (under 30 military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System) to the French-led EU Task Force Takuba in Mali. The other new operation is the EU Military Training Mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique) launched this year, Lithuania’s planned contribution amounts to 11 military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System.
Next mandate for the other international operations remains the same: Lithuanian Armed Forces servicemembers allowed to be deployed to the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) numbers up to 50, United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) – up to 50 as well, for the European Union Training Mission Mali and the European Training Mission in Central African Republic – up to 11, for the European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) – Operation ATALANTA and Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI – 30 and 20 Lithuanian military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System respectively. Lithuania’s contribution to the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) will not change nor exceed 5 personnel. Up to 40 Lithuanians will be mandated to be deployed to the United States-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, and up to 5 military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System – to the U.S.-initiated effort in the Strait of Hormuz. Up to 60 military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System will be deployed to the Lithuanian National Military Training Operation in Ukraine.
It should be noted that the mandate approved by the Seimas sets out limit numbers of military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System to be contributed to concrete multinational operations, while factual contributions will depend on a spectrum of circumstances, such as the requirement in the concrete operation and security situation in the country the Lithuanian personnel is deployed to, and more factors that are constantly assessed hand in hand with other operational partners.
