Colonel Nerijus Stankevičius has taken over as the new commander of the Lithuanian Land Force at a changeover ceremony in Kaunas, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said.
Stankevičius replaced Artūras Radvilas who has led the Land Force since 2022 and has been promoted to brigadier general by President Gitanas Nausėda.
Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė noted that Stankevičius has extensive leadership experience within the Armed Forces and international institutions.
“As we have worked together, I have had the opportunity to witness his unwavering sense of duty to Lithuania, his ability to bring people together and make quality decisions, and to act in crisis situations,” Šakalienė was quoted in the Armed Forces’ statement.
Chief of Defence General Raimundas Vaikšnoras said that Stankevičius is taking over the command of the Land Force at a time when “we have to move quickly”.
“The geopolitical situation requires clear decisions and action without delays. You are an officer who has served in all key positions – from a battalion commander, an adviser to the defence minister and brigade commander to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). You have both practical and strategic experience. This is very important in this new responsibility,” he stated.
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