During the “Freedom Shield 2026” exercise in Lithuania, the German Panzer Brigade 45 is training combat operations on Lithuanian soil for the first time, with 350 drones in tow. Freuding was impressed by the drone control in the command post but stressed: “I believe we still have a lot of room for improvement across the entire spectrum.” Systems must be integrated “more and more, deeper and deeper, at all levels” into the troops.
Around 2,900 soldiers from eight NATO countries are taking part in the exercise on NATO’s eastern flank, including 2,300 from Germany. The Pabrade training area lies only about 20 kilometers from the border with Belarus. The Panzer Brigade in Lithuania was pledged in response to the growing threat from Russia and is to be fully operational by 2027 with 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian employees. So far, around 1,800 personnel are stationed there.
Freuding described the security situation as “tense.” Despite heavy losses in the war against Ukraine, Russia is continuously expanding its capabilities and wants to increase its active force to 1.5 million soldiers – a goal that experts believe could be reached this year. Nordic NATO partners have also pointed to an expansion of Russian mobilization structures.
Source: Stadt München
