07.10.2024, Vilnius.
The presence of NATO in the Baltic region serves as a signal to Russia, stated Lieutenant Colonel Bas Schillemans, commander of the German-Dutch battalion in Lithuania, on October 7, Delfi wrote.
The Dutch officer claimed that the goal of NATO’s enhanced presence in Lithuania was to ensure the safety of the local population and to serve as a deterrent against Russian forces.
Schillemans said that the battalion’s training and demonstration of its capabilities to both Lithuanians and Russia were the reasons for its deployment in Lithuania. He cited the alleged threat from Russia to Lithuania as one of the reasons for the battalion’s presence in the country. The lieutenant colonel urged Moscow not to threaten the republic.
The head of Russia’s FSB Aleksandr Bortnikov recently stated that mercenaries for the Ukrainian armed units are being trained in the Baltic states and Poland. These individuals are reportedly training in NATO camps.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
