The key facts
- From November 6 to December 3, the Freedom Shield 26-II and Grand Eagle 26 exercises are underway in Lithuania with more than 6,000 NATO troops involved
- The German 45th Armoured Brigade Lietuva and the 37th Mechanized Brigade Freistaat Sachsen are taking part
- The exercises will be held at the Rūdninkai and Silvestras Žukauskas training areas, including the movement of equipment across the country
Scale and composition of the exercises
More than 6,000 NATO servicemembers will take part in two Germany-led exercises in Lithuania, which run from November 6 to December 3, the Lithuanian armed forces command announced. The exercises are named Freedom Shield 26-II and Grand Eagle 26.
Who is involved
On the German side, formations of the 10th Armoured Division are taking part: the 45th Armoured Brigade Lietuva and the 37th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Freistaat Sachsen. Also involved in the manoeuvres are servicemembers of NATO's Multinational Battle Brigade in Lithuania — from Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Belgium and Luxembourg — together with Lithuanian forces.
Where and why
The exercises are taking place at the Rūdninkai military training area and the Silvestras Žukauskas training area. According to the Lithuanian armed forces, their goals are to increase combat readiness, practise operational planning and command, and improve coordination between allied forces. The exercises include the movement of troops and equipment across Lithuania.
