In the midst of heightened regional tensions, more than 3,000 German military personnel have joined NATO drills in Lithuania. The Grand Quadriga 2024 exercises, which commenced on Tuesday, form part of the larger Steadfast Defender 24 series that began in late January and involve all 32 NATO member states. Lithuania’s proximity to Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Moscow’s ally Belarus has elevated the significance of these maneuvers. The exercise, which will continue until late May, encompasses the deployment of 200 pieces of German military hardware, including Leopard tanks and Puma and Boxer infantry fighting vehicles. German armored divisions will be transported to Lithuania via sea, rail, and road to engage in defensive and counter-offensive exercises. Concurrently, other military drills such as Saber Strike, Brave Griffin 2024/II, and Thunder Strike will also take place in Lithuania as part of NATO’s Steadfast Defender 24. These exercises, described by Supreme Allied Commander for Europe Christopher Cavoli as NATO’s largest in decades, will involve approximately 90,000 troops, 1,100 combat vehicles, 50 naval vessels, and 80 helicopters, drones, and fighter jets. The drills aim to simulate an emerging conflict scenario against a near-peer adversary across Europe. Russia has expressed concern over NATO’s exercises, with the secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolay Patrushev, alleging that they are escalating tensions and destabilizing the global situation.
German Forces Join NATO Drills in Lithuania Amidst Regional Tensions
