Lithuania to expand military training sites amid NATO buildup
Lithuania has announced plans to expand its military training facilities as it strengthens its armed forces and prepares for a larger presence of allied troops.
A new brigade-sized training area will be established in Kapciamiestis, southern Lithuania, near the borders with Poland and Belarus, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The country also plans to double the size of its existing training site near Taurage in western Lithuania by extending it into an adjacent district.
The expansion decision was made by the State Defense Council. President Gitanas Nauseda’s national security adviser, Deividas Matulionis, explained that Kapciamiestis was chosen due to its strategic importance for national security.
The site lies within the Suwałki Gap, a narrow corridor connecting the Baltic states to the rest of NATO. Lithuania, Poland, and NATO consider the Suwałki Gap crucial and have pledged special attention to its defense.
The announcement coincides with Lithuania’s efforts to grow its armed forces through higher conscription, increased reserve numbers, and the acquisition of new military equipment.
Germany has committed to deploying a brigade of several thousand troops to Lithuania by 2027, which will further increase the need for large-scale training facilities.
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