Germany Bolsters NATO’s Eastern Flank by Expanding Armored Brigade in Lithuania to Counter Russian Threat

Germany is undertaking a substantial expansion of its armored tank brigade stationed in Lithuania as part of NATO’s strategic effort to reinforce the alliance’s eastern defenses amid escalating tensions with Russia.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to Bloomberg.

This Thursday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will attend the inaugural parade of the newly formed 45th Tank Brigade in Vilnius, marking a historic step as Germany deploys its first permanently stationed combat tank brigade abroad since World War II.

The brigade is slated to reach full operational capacity by the end of 2027, comprising up to 5,000 personnel. Currently, approximately 400 German soldiers are deployed on Lithuanian soil, conducting initial training exercises that will intensify over the coming months, according to an official from Germany’s Ministry of Defense.

The decision to deploy a full brigade in Lithuania follows NATO’s comprehensive reassessment of its defense posture in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It also reflects persistent advocacy by Lithuania, strategically positioned between the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and the Kremlin-aligned state of Belarus.

From February 2026, NATO’s multinational forces stationed in Lithuania will be subordinated to the 45th Tank Brigade, expanding its strength to around 1,800 troops. By mid-2026, Germany aims to nearly double its deployed forces to approximately 2,000 soldiers. However, the full brigade’s deployment by 2027 depends in part on Lithuania’s capacity to expand military infrastructure and housing facilities to accommodate an additional 3,000 troops.

Germany’s growing military footprint in the Baltics has also opened investment opportunities for defense giant Rheinmetall. Last year, the company signed an agreement with the Lithuanian government to build an ammunition production plant expected to manufacture tens of thousands of artillery shells annually and create at least 150 new jobs.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has pledged that Germany will continue strengthening the Bundeswehr, underscoring the country’s resolve to enhance NATO’s collective security.

As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukraine’s Western allies are in advanced talks to provide additional Patriot air defense systems to Kyiv, aiming to finalize an agreement before the NATO summit in late June.