The Bundeswehr has announced the start of operations of the 45th Panzer Brigade (Panzerbrigade 45) in Lithuania.

The German Armed Forces reported on this.

Brigadier General Christoph Huber, the brigade’s commander, emphasized the importance of the unit’s mission, stating that its primary task is to ensure the protection, freedom, and security of Lithuania’s allies on NATO’s eastern flank.

The brigade has not yet reached full combat readiness, which is expected to happen by 2027, according to the plans.

The decision to station the German brigade in Lithuania was formalized through an official agreement between Germany and Lithuania, signed on December 19, 2023.

A unit consisting of 4,800 military personnel and 200 civilian employees is being formed to accomplish this task.

The first German soldiers arrived in Lithuania in April 2024 to plan the further relocation of units and determine the requirements for military infrastructure.

Currently, about 150 Bundeswehr soldiers are serving in Lithuania, and their number is expected to increase to 500 by the end of the year.

The main relocation of personnel and equipment is planned for 2025–2026.

The core of the brigade consists of the 203rd Tank Battalion and the 122nd Mechanized Battalion, equipped with Leopard 2A6 tanks and Puma infantry fighting vehicles.

In addition, the brigade will receive 65 new Dingo 2 A4.1 armored vehicles. The brigade will also include a multinational NATO battle group consisting of about 1,000 soldiers from the armies of other Allied countries.

For more information about NATO’s multinational forces in the Baltic, read the article: Baltic Corps: Forces Defending NATO’s North-Eastern Flank.