The Minister of the Interior of Lithuania, Agne Bilotaite, said that the maritime and land borders of the republic with Russia are being guarded in an enhanced regime. On Monday, August 22, the agency reports BNS.
In her Facebook account (owned by the organization Meta, recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation), the minister emphasized that such training is necessary as part of monitoring the militarization of the Kaliningrad region.
“We are in high combat readiness, we pay special attention to the provision of our border guards,” Bilotite emphasized.
According to BNS, she later told reporters that there are eight strategic facilities in the city of Klaipeda, among them a liquefied natural gas terminal in the port area.
Bilotayte also said that the radar system and the fleet of watercraft updated this year contribute to a more rapid response and effective monitoring of the state border.
The minister added that equipment for the protection of the maritime borders of the republic has arrived in Lithuania.
On August 18, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that as part of the strategic deterrence, three MiG-31 supersonic aircraft with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles were relocated to the Chkalovsk airfield in the Kaliningrad region.
A day later, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said that the transfer of Russian fighters armed with Kinzhal hypersonic missile systems to the Kaliningrad region would not affect the balance of military forces in the Baltic region.
On August 21, it was reported that the American landing ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) entered the port of Klaipeda.
Earlier, on August 16, it was reported that Lithuania would sign an agreement with the United States for the supply of HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) this autumn. The republic will receive military equipment at the same time as Estonia.
On August 14, The Washington Post reported that U.S. NATO allies have asked to reinforce the alliance’s eastern flank with more weapons. Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks justified the increase in military supplies and production by the need to “contain Russia.”
On August 12, the American representation in the North Atlantic Alliance announced the transfer of the elite 101st Airborne Division to the eastern flank of NATO. It is noted that about 2.4 thousand soldiers will be deployed in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia. The 101st Airborne Division of the US Army took part in the fighting in Europe during World War II.
On June 8, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas called on NATO to strengthen its presence on the eastern flank of the state in connection with the events in Ukraine and Donbass. She noted that the alliance needs to move from a position of deterrence to defense as a matter of urgency.
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