Three U.S. soldiers who went missing during a training exercise in Lithuania were found deceased after their M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicle became submerged in a peat bog. The incident occurred during a broader training operation, and despite the recovery of the vehicle, the soldiers were not found until almost a week later. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda expressed condolences, and the U.S. Army is working with Lithuanian authorities to investigate the incident while continuing the search for one soldier who remains missing.
Posts tagged as “Lithuania”
A U.S. armored vehicle that went missing during a training exercise in Lithuania has been recovered after a six-day search, but the four American soldiers who were on board remain unaccounted for. The vehicle was found at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground, and both Lithuanian and U.S. authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident. The situation highlights the challenges of military training in difficult terrain, and both countries are working together to ensure the safety of military personnel.
Four U.S. Army soldiers were reported missing and later confirmed dead during a joint training exercise with Lithuanian forces near Pabradė, close to the Belarus border. The U.S. embassy in Vilnius and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged the incident, highlighting the collaborative nature of the training aimed at enhancing military readiness among NATO allies. The Pentagon described the event as a training accident, and efforts to recover the soldiers, who were part of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, are ongoing, with gratitude expressed for the support from Lithuanian military and police.
President Joe Biden concluded his five-day European tour in Finland, where he declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin has already lost the war in Ukraine. He also expressed his commitment to pursuing a prisoner exchange for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia for more than 100 days. Biden also celebrated Finland's new membership and Sweden's likely ascension into NATO.
At the two-day NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, tensions between Kyiv and Western capitals were on full display, highlighting fundamental divisions between the war-torn country and its Western partners. Despite attempts to paper over any discord, the summit revealed a complicated relationship between Kyiv and Western capitals, with debates over Ukraine's potential NATO membership being acrimonious and emotionally fraught. Ultimately, a statement was issued that Ukraine was “on the path to NATO membership”, though some analysts have argued this is unwise and unnecessary.
President Joe Biden is in Europe this week for the NATO summit in Lithuania, and has already held a meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The U.S. and its NATO allies are looking to maintain a unified voice in support of Ukraine, and Biden will also meet with King Charles III to discuss the war and revise plans for dealing with Russian aggression. The trip will conclude in Helsinki, Finland, where Biden will celebrate the expanding alliance with Finland as the newest member of NATO.
The White House has defended the decision, arguing that the munitions will only be used in a limited capacity and will not be used in populated areas, and that the U.S. is not alone in providing Ukraine with military aid. Human rights groups have criticized the decision, citing the weapons' potential for causing significant civilian casualties.
An American Navy veteran who had been detained in Russia for nearly a year was released from Russian custody on Thursday, according to a family…