NATO troops formally join German-led brigade in Lithuania

The German armed forces are continuing to expand their brigade in Lithuania, with NATO troops already stationed in the Baltic state formally integrated into Bundeswehr 45th Panzer (Tank) Brigade, also known as the Lithuania Brigade, as of Wednesday.

Soldiers from the Multinational Battlegroup Lithuania are now also under the brigade’s command, increasing its local strength to around 1,700 personnel.

Germany established the brigade in response to what it sees as a growing threat to NATO from Russia. The brigade was formally commissioned in April 2025 and is expected to become fully operational as a combat unit by 2027, with a total strength of 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian staff.

“Germany’s leading role in protecting NATO’s eastern flank is invaluable,” Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said in his speech at the ceremony in the city of Kaunas. The brigade is the “best deterrent” for Lithuania and the region, he said.

This deployment marks a historic departure for the Bundeswehr, as it represents the first time a major German combat formation has been permanently stationed abroad.

German Armed Forces Brigadier General Christoph Huber leads the troop formation at the formal handover ceremony. The German Armed Forces brigade takes command of the NATO combat unit in Lithuania. Alexander Welscher/dpa