Two German military exercises involving more than 6,000 troops are set to begin in Lithuania on Friday and continue until December 3, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said, LRT reports.
The exercises, dubbed Freedom Shield 26-II and Grand Eagle 26, will involve soldiers from Germany’s 45th Armoured Brigade Lietuva and 37th Mechanised Infantry Brigade Freistaat Sachsen, both part of the German Army’s 10th Armoured Division.
They will be joined by troops from Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Belgium and Luxembourg serving in NATO’s Multinational Combat Brigade in Lithuania, as well as a Lithuanian military unit.
Freedom Shield 26-II will take place at the Rūdninkai military training area, while Grand Eagle 26 will be held at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training area.
The drills are aimed at strengthening combat readiness, improving command and operational planning procedures, and enhancing interoperability between Lithuanian and Polish forces and NATO allies.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces said allied troops and military equipment would move along the country's roads throughout the exercises.
The heaviest movement of military convoys from the Kalvarija border checkpoint to the training areas is expected on November 6-7, while convoys arriving from Klaipeda are expected to travel between November 10 and 12.
From November 28 to December 3, military equipment will be transported from the training areas toward Kalvarija and Klaipėda.
The military warned that the movement of military vehicles and equipment could cause temporary traffic disruptions on some roads. Drivers were advised to allow extra time for their journeys and follow instructions from Military Police officers.
