Germany-led NATO exercises begin in Lithuania with about 6,000 German troops

In brief

• Germany leads NATO exercises in Lithuania involving about 6,000 German troops and several allied countries.
• The drills, Freedom Shield 26-II and Grand Eagle 26, run until December and aim to boost readiness and cooperation.
• Heavy military convoy traffic on Lithuanian roads is expected on November 6–7 and 10–12, with the return movement from November 28 to December 3.

Two exercises, one allied force

Two maneuvers are under way in Lithuania: Freedom Shield 26-II at a military range in Rudninkai, and Grand Eagle 26 at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training area. (У Литві стартували навчання Бундесверу за участі 6 тис. військових – Espreso) German troops number about 6,000 and form the core of the drills. They are joined by the NATO multinational battle group in Lithuania, which includes soldiers from Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as Lithuanian units.

Purpose and timeline

The stated aim is to raise combat readiness, refine command and operational planning, and improve cooperation with Lithuania and Poland. The exercises are scheduled to last until December. (В Литве начались военные учения НАТО под руководством Германии – Zerkalo)

Road movements

Allied military vehicles will move across Lithuanian roads during the drills. The heaviest convoy traffic is expected on November 6–7 on the route from Kalvarija to the training sites, and again on November 10–12 from the direction of Klaipėda. After the exercises end, equipment will head back from the training areas toward Kalvarija and Klaipėda between November 28 and December 3.

Context

The drills follow Baltic Trust 2026, a NATO exercise held in Latvia from August 3 to 14, which focused on countering drones and other threats linked to unmanned aerial systems. Ukraine took part in that earlier exercise.