Lithuania Welcomes 350 Belgian Troops for Joint Army Drills - Defense Ministry

© AFP 2023 / EMMANUEL DUNANDTwo Belgian soldiers and a policeman patrol in Brussels. (File)
Two Belgian soldiers and a policeman patrol in Brussels. (File) - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Some 350 Belgian troops have arrived to Lithuania to take part in the month-long Baltic Piranha 2016 joint military exercises, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said Saturday.

VILNIUS (Sputnik) — Belgian troops have been formed out of an armored brigade with the 1/3rd Lancers Battalion, while the forces belonging to the Grand Duke Kestutis Motorized Infantry Battalion will take part on Lithuania's side alongside the Lithuanian National Defense Volunteer Forces' fifth brigade.

Portuguese Fuzileiros secure an area after disembarking from an amphibious transport during an exercise as part of the NATO's Trident Juncture 2015 in Troia, 100 kms south of Lisbon on November 5, 2015 - Sputnik International
NATO 'Categorically' Denies It's a Security Threat to Russia

"On October 1, some 350 Belgian troops with over 100 units of military equipment arrived to Lithuania on a rotational basis. Throughout October, Belgian service personnel will take part in the Baltic Piranha 2016 joint exercises with Lithuanian troops," the ministry said in a statement.

USAF aircraft of the 4th Fighter Wing (F-16, F-15C and F-15E) fly over Kuwaiti oil fires, set by the retreating Iraqi army during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 - Sputnik International
German Politician to Sputnik: 'US Pulling Us Into Abyss of War in Middle East'

The US army 173rd Airborne Brigade will also take part. All participating sides are NATO members.

Around 500 Lithuanian troops took part in last year's Baltic Piranha drills alongside 280 Belgian soldiers, US troops and members of Luxembourg's armed forces.

NATO has been boosting its military presence in Europe, particularly in Eastern European states, since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, citing Russia's alleged interference in that conflict as justification for the move.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала