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“At the Defense Resources Council, we agree on the need to conduct a new study and look more widely in Lithuania, not just western Lithuania,” Lt. Gen. Valdemaras Rupšys said in an interview with BNS.
A new training ground is needed for the Lithuanian Armed Forces in order to ensure adequate conditions for the training of Lithuanian soldiers and NATO allies.
This year, a feasibility study was carried out looking for territory in western Lithuania. According to the selection criteria, the landfill would need about 20 thousand. hectares to accommodate a battalion-sized combat group and to host combat shooting exercises.
Of the nine potential areas selected, the possibility of establishing a landfill north in the area between Kuršėnai and Telšiai received the most attention. The territory includes a part of the districts of Telšiai, Mažeikiai, Akmenė, Šiauliai.
Some locals began to protest against such plans, concerned about the expropriation of agricultural land.
The army chief says it would be tactically suitable for the landfill, but the army understands that this is almost impossible as the area covers a large amount of fertile land and will seek a new location.
“It would actually be a suitable area, but at the end of September I came to the conclusion that it is difficult because it has fertile land, a lot of arable land. At the end of September, I offered to look for other territories, not just in western Lithuania, “General V. Rupšys said.
“Soon after, in the Defense Resources Council, we all agreed on the need to carry out a new study and look more widely in Lithuania,” said the Commander of the Armed Forces.
The general stated that he had expressed the opinion that the reservation of these territories in the general plan of Lithuania was not necessary, but the decisions would be made by the civil government.
“Soldiers know very well that the land is a very precious commodity left to us by our fathers and ancestors, so it will never go against the people of their country and their interests. Of course, it would be ideal if it were possible to find areas Adequate territory, where there would be state land, could be transferred to the Lithuanian army, or private, but not profitable, in which not much investment would be made and it would be worth selling it. That would be optimal, “he said.
Lithuania’s largest landfills are Pabradė and Gaižiūnai, but with the strengthening of the Lithuanian army and the increasing number of allied troops, they are becoming insufficient and development is practically impossible.
Having started to strengthen its military forces after Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Lithuania established new military units in western Lithuania, acquired infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled howitzers, anti-aircraft defense systems and reinforced anti-tank systems.
A German-led NATO battalion has also been deployed to Lithuania, with between 1,200 and 1,500 Allied soldiers in regular training, and a battalion of US troops has been rotating frequently in Lithuania recently, usually with more than 500 soldiers.
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