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Kremlin raises concerns over German troop build-up in Lithuania near Russian borders

Earlier, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said that the first group of the Bundeswehr brigade assigned to the republic, about 20 servicemen, was arriving for duty

MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. The dispatch of German soldiers to Lithuania along with plans to establish a military base there by 2027 creates a dangerous situation near Russia's borders, which necessitates Moscow taking special measures to ensure its security, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Negatively," Peskov said when asked how the Kremlin viewed such moves from Germany.

"This continues an escalation of tensions, creating danger zones for us, near our borders, which, of course, requires us to take special measures to ensure our own security," the spokesman pointed out.

Earlier, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said that the first group of the Bundeswehr brigade assigned to the republic, about 20 servicemen, was arriving for duty.

The plan is to have a military contingent of 150 people by the end of 2024. Military experts will assess redeployment options, the condition of infrastructure facilities and their compliance with the Bundeswehr's requirements. Up to 80% of the unit is going to be deployed at the training range near the Rudninkai settlement in the Salcininkai district (south of Lithuania), while the rest - in Rukla, the Jonava district (center of Lithuania).

In mid-December 2023, the Lithuanian and German defense ministers, Arvydas Anusauskas and Boris Pistorius, approved a detailed plan for the deployment of a Bundeswehr brigade in Lithuania. The parties intend to sign an intergovernmental agreement in the second half of 2024, after which the deployment of units will begin. The brigade in full (4,800 military and 200 personnel) will be deployed by 2027. A tank and a mechanized armored infantry battalion will make up its core.

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