In Lithuania, the bodies of three of the four missing US soldiers have been found. They had disappeared along with their engineering equipment during training near the border with Belarus.

The information was shared by the press service of the U.S. Army Command in Europe and Africa.

The names of the fallen soldiers have not been released pending official notification of their next of kin. The soldiers went missing on the morning of March 25, along with an M88A2 armored recovery vehicle, while carrying out a mission to repair and tow a disabled tactical vehicle. Efforts to locate the fourth soldier are still underway.

The units of the U.S. Army, with the support of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies, organized a search operation. On the morning of March 26, they found the soldiers’ vehicle submerged in the swamp.

The M88A2 was retrieved from the peat bog early on Monday, March 31, after six days of efforts that required the involvement of hundreds of personnel from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Lithuanian Armed Forces, and Polish Armed Forces, along with other representatives from the Lithuanian government and civilian agencies.

“The soldiers we lost in this tragedy were not just soldiers. They were part of our family. Our hearts are filled with grief, which echoes throughout the Marne Division, both on the frontlines and at home,” said Major General Christopher Norrie, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division.

In order to retrieve the vehicle from the swamp, U.S. Navy divers had to navigate through thick layers of mud, clay, and sediment in zero visibility conditions to reach the vehicle and attach steel ropes, which were then connected to two M88A2 Hercules vehicles and several bulldozers.

The missing servicemen were part of the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division and were participating in scheduled tactical exercises near the town of Pabradė, approximately 10 kilometers from the Lithuanian-Belarusian border.

Reinforcing the Lithuanian-Belarusian Border

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense is considering strengthening the border with Russia and Belarus by deploying minefields.

This measure would serve as an additional element of defense within the concept of counter-mobility, aimed at long-term deterrence of a potential adversary.

According to the minister, the plan is to use both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, drawing on the Polish experience of fortifying the northeastern flank.

In addition, Lithuania is participating in discussions on jointly strengthening the borders from Finland to Poland. As part of the initiative, it is proposed to create a defense line with an extensive system of fortifications, bunkers, strongholds, and specialized bases.