WW3 fears explode as EU country bracing for Russian attack | World | News

An EU country has stationed some of its forces in Lithuania, one of the Baltic countries making up a key part of the NATO’s eastern flank, as fears of a future Russian attack on Europe grow. Germany deployed two combat battalions of the Bundeswehr on January 29 as it gradually builds up its forces in the country. 

Gerald Funke, head of the Bundeswehr’s Support Command, said Germany could be drawn into a conflict through the brigade if Russia launches a large-scale attack on the Baltic States, but stressed that this is the worst-case scenario. This would result in tens of thousands of alliance troops being deployed through German ports and transport routes, he added.

Lithuania’s defence minister, Robertas Kaunas, echoed this sentiment during a visit to the Operational Command at the Schwielowsee site.

However, he said that a more likely scenario would be smaller military action to test Europe’s security architecture and NATO.

Most of the troops will be stationed in Rūdninkai, but there will be a separate combat unit made up of eight other NATO countries on rotation. The wil be based in Rukla, central Lithuania.

German federal defence minister Boris Pistorius said the number of Berlin’s troops in Lithuania is now around 1,800, and he wants to bring this figure to 4,800 by 2027.

«I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Lithuanian friends once again for their extraordinary reliability and determination in building the infrastructure for our brigade.»

He said: «This brigade is not a political symbol, but a military contribution to deterrence and defence.»