Lithuania begins construction of military base for German forces

Lithuania has begun construction on a military base that will house 4,000 combat-ready German soldiers by the end of 2027. Reuters reported this.This is the German military’s first permanent foreign deployment since World War II. The base is located near the Russian border and will be equipped with storage and maintenance facilities for tanks and other equipment.

The project is expected to cost more than €1 billion over three years, making it one of the largest construction projects in Lithuania’s history. Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Vaiknoras described the investment as “huge” for a country with an economy one-tenth that of Germany.

Purpose of the base

The base in Rudninkai, near Vilnius, will have facilities for 4,000 troops. There will also be shooting ranges of various sizes and storage areas for tanks and other equipment. About 1,000 German military personnel and civilian contractors will be stationed at other sites in Lithuania.

However, concerns have been raised that the base may not be completed on time, with only five buildings on the site tendered so far. Defence Minister Laurinas Kascinas has confirmed that his ministry will award contracts for the remaining works by the end of this year.

The German government has requested €2.93 billion to buy 105 Leopard 2 A8 tanks, some of which are destined for the Lithuanian base. However, budgetary disagreements within the German alliance could jeopardize Berlin’s pledge to modernize its military.

Lithuania has increased its defense spending to 3 percent of GDP this year and plans to raise taxes over several years to meet defense needs. Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has stressed the importance of security, saying, “If we are not safe, they are not safe,” referring to Germany.

Key points

• Lithuania began building a military base for 4,000 German soldiers.
• The project is expected to cost over EUR 1 billion and will be one of the largest construction projects in Lithuania’s history.

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