Baltic nation Lithuania launches largest-ever military exercise

The Baltic state of Lithuania has launched one of the largest national military exercises, called Thunder Strike, which provides training for all elements of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and public organizations to transition from peacetime to wartime, in stages, consistently observing all necessary steps.

Thunder Strike will include a series of smaller exercises: Thunder Bastion 2024, Vigilant Falcon 2024, Thunder Storm 2024, Cyber Shield and Lithuanian Rapid Reaction Force Activation.

During the three-week exercise, which began on April 22, the Lithuanian Armed Forces and government organizations will practice how to carry out a full transition to wartime mode, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, 10,000 reserve and active duty soldiers will be called up for the exercise, with about 2,500 soldiers taking part in active training.

The exercise, which will last until May 10, will also involve more than 4,000 members of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, as well as members of the Riflemen's Union and local authorities.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces are taking part in a national exercise from April 22 to May 10, 2024. This is the Baltic country's largest national exercise since the 1990s. Photo: Kariuomene (Lithuanian Army Portal)

The exercise will also include training of commanders assigned to centrally-governed cities, the formation of command units and their functions, training on requisitioning material assets and temporary imposition of a curfew in certain areas of the capital Vilnius and the city of Kaunas in the center of the country.

In parallel with the Thunder Strike national exercise, Lithuania also participated in joint exercises with other NATO member states in the region such as Poland, which lasted from April to June.

The series of exercises will put to the test NATO regional defence plans agreed at last year's Vilnius Summit, while also rehearsing rapid deployments of forces between allies and sending a clear signal of NATO's resolve and commitment to common defence.

Lithuania is a Baltic Sea country that shares borders with Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Moscow's close ally Belarus .

Minh Duc (According to LRT, Kariuomene, Xinhua)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/quoc-gia-vung-baltic-litva-khoi-dong-cuoc-tap-tran-quy-mo-lon-nhat-a660329.html