VILNIUS: Lithuania needs a new brigade-level training ground as the existing ones are being used by NATO allies for training, Armed Forces ...
VILNIUS: Lithuania needs a new brigade-level training ground as the existing ones are being used by NATO allies for training, Armed Forces Commander General Raimondas Vaitkunas told the LRT national broadcaster.
"US troops stationed in Lithuania train at the central training ground in Pabrade. The Rudnikiai training ground will be at the disposal of the Bundeswehr [German armed forces] brigade being transferred to Lithuania. Our army needs a modern training ground, which is planned to be built in the Kapciamiestis area," he said.
However, the authorities' intention to build the training ground has been met with resistance from local residents who do not want a military facility in their neighborhood. The facility would complicate their lives and economic activities, and many residents would be forced to evacuate the future military territory. About 2,000 private landholdings, covering 14,600 hectares including forest areas, are located in the area where the training ground will be built.
Up to 4,000 servicemen will be able to train at the ground at the same time. Large-scale drills will be held here five times a year for ten days at a time, and smaller exercises will be held on an ongoing basis.
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