Lithuania has announced that a military town project near its border with Belarus is progressing ahead of schedule and is expected to be completed sooner than initially planned.
Construction of the Rūdninkai military camp began in August 2024 and forms part of Vilnius’ broader plan to develop a defense estate for a German brigade to be stationed in the country.
The site was expected to take 36 months to complete, but local industry partner Eika Construction is working to shorten the timeline and open the camp as soon as possible.
The first phase will see the completion of around 19 buildings, supported by storage facilities, equipment repair and maintenance bays, administrative offices, a warehouse, a gas station, garages, and guard posts.
The second phase will include additional procurement of public services and infrastructure to finalize the site.
“The design part was particularly complex, so immediately after signing the contract, we formed a team of designers and engineers, and began analyzing which works we could start immediately,” Eika Construction Manager Almantas Čebanauskas stated.
“We formed three construction crews, which carry out individual works in parallel. This year’s mild winter was favorable for us. We very much hope that the weather will continue to allow us to continue our pace.”
This initiative supports a NATO-endorsed agreement signed by Lithuania and Germany in 2023 to jointly strengthen security in the region, reinforcing the alliance’s “commitment to collective defense” amidst the ongoing conflict on the eastern flank.
Under the agreement, Lithuania will implement a phased approach to receive some German brigade soldiers earlier, without needing to wait for the full completion of the entire project.
Full House by 2027
Most of the future Rūdninkai occupants will come from the German Army’s 45th Armoured Brigade, which includes three maneuver battalions, combat support units, and logistics units.
Troops will begin arriving between 2025 and 2026, joining approximately 500 German soldiers already stationed in Lithuania. By 2027, the brigade is expected to reach full operational combat readiness, complete with supplies, equipment, and vehicles, and comprising around 5,000 personnel.
“The relocation of the German brigade to Lithuania for a permanent presence and the creation of infrastructure for it is one of the main priorities of our Government, to which we pay special attention,” Lithuanian Deputy Defence Minister Orijana Mašalė commented.
“It is pleasing to see that the importance of this project is also appreciated by business, which is making every effort to create the infrastructure for German partners as soon as possible.”
