American rotational force arrived in Lithuania back in October 2019 for a six month deployment. On Wednesday, they showcased firepower capabilities with the armour they brought along with them.
Moving into position with Bradley infantry fighting behicles and Abrams main battle tanks, the troops from the 1st Armoured Battalion of the 9th Regiment, 1st Division engaged targets in Lithuania’s Pabradė shooting range, near the border with Belarus.
Read more: US mechanised battalion with heavy armour deploys to Lithuania
Its proximity is what caused a flurry of statements by Belarusian officials, including by the incumbent leader Alexander Lukashenko, who vowed to send additional forces to the Lithuanian border in response to the American presence.
Read more: Belarus to respond to US armour deployment in Lithuania
The mechanised force of some 500 soldiers arrived in Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve to deter Russia and will stay in the country until spring. It will then be replaced by two other American battalions for the behemoth Defender 2020 exercises.
Read more: NATO exercises in Baltics to flex muscles unused for 18 years
