More than 6,000 troops planned for two German-led exercises in Lithuania

Two German-led exercises involving a planned total of more than 6,000 troops are scheduled to take place in Lithuania from 6 November to 3 December 2026. Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reports this, citing the Lithuanian Armed Forces. At the time of publication, Flank has found no independent confirmation that the exercises have begun.

Planned forces and exercise locations

According to the Lithuanian Armed Forces statement reported by LRT, Freedom Shield 26-II is planned for the Rūdninkai training area, while Grand Eagle 26 will take place at the General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area.

LRT lists Germany’s 45th Armoured Brigade Lietuva and the 10th Armoured Division’s 37th Panzergrenadier Brigade Freistaat Sachsen among the planned participants. The list also includes troops from Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Czechia, Croatia, Belgium and Luxembourg serving in NATO’s multinational brigade in Lithuania, as well as a Lithuanian unit.

More than 6,000 personnel is the planned combined strength for the two exercises. Listing brigades among the participants does not mean they will take part at full strength.

Planned movements from Kalvarija and Klaipėda

According to information from the Lithuanian Armed Forces cited by LRT, allied troops and equipment are expected to move along the country’s roads during the exercises. The heaviest movements are planned for 6–7 November from the Kalvarija border crossing, while convoys arriving from Klaipėda are expected on 10–12 November.

According to the same statement, the training is intended to strengthen combat readiness and improve command, operational planning and cooperation between allies. In Flank’s assessment, combining movements with multinational force training provides an opportunity to test both operations on the training area and the coordination of tasks and timings between national contingents. However, the announced scale alone does not prove that readiness has been achieved.

Actual force composition and Polish participation remain unspecified

The statement reported by LRT does not specify how many troops will actually arrive, how they will be divided between the two exercises or what equipment they will use. Cooperation between Lithuanian and Polish forces and NATO allies is mentioned among the objectives, but Poland does not appear on the list of participants. The list does not make clear whether Polish forces will take part.

The next substantive information will concern the units actually taking part and the results of the training, particularly in command and joint operations.