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NATO starts deployment of multinational battalion in Lithuania

Xinhua, February 2, 2017 Adjust font size:

The first group of troops from NATO enhanced forward presence battalion arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday.

Around 70 soldiers from the German Bundeswehr have landed at the Kaunas airport, central Lithuania, announced Lithuanian defense authorities.

The deployment of German troops will continue for the first 10 days of February.

"Over 450 German soldiers with their weaponry and over 100 military vehicles will form one of the maneuver units of the NATO enhanced forward presence battalion," said the Lithuanian Defense Ministry in a statement.

German soldiers are the first from around 1,200 personnel and equipment to be deployed in Lithuania by mid-June.

The German contingent will lead the multinational battalion in Lithuania accompanied by troops from Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Croatia and France. The mission of the multinational battalion is defensive, Lithuanian officials said.

As announced last month, allied forces in Lithuania will conduct joint military training and join defense of Lithuania in the case of aggression.

The deployment of NATO multinational battalion is conducted under agreement by NATO allies made at the summit in Warsaw last year. Endit