United States Army Europe

An attempt to publish a fake report about the presence of US troops in Lithuania was thwarted by the country’s media on Wednesday.

Turkey's decision to block the updated defense plans for the Baltic states and Poland might make military planning more difficult but it's not a catastrophe as other planning instruments remain, retired US General Ben Hodges says.

Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, former commander of the United States Army Europe (USAREUR), said in Vilnius on Wednesday that US rotational troops should be returned to the Baltic states.

Based on the implementation of Russian deterrence, a tank and AFV brigade from the United States has already reached Poland from where it will proceed to Lithuania. Despite Russian protests, this year a NATO battalion led by the German armed forces will be deployed in Lithuania.

Two United States F-22 Raptor stealth aircraft landed in Lithuania at Šiauliai Airbase on Wednesday.

The US will send more troops to Lithuania as it starts it preparations to step up its presence and capabilities in Europe, said United States Army Europe Commander Lieutenant General Ben Hodges.

After official announcement of the US plans to quadruple its defence budget for Europe, Lithuania's Defence Minister Juozas Olekas says this would mean deployment of a larger number of US troops and equipment in Lithuania.

Troops from nine NATO countries took part in the main planning conference of the Saber Strike 2015 multinational exercises at the General Adolfas Ramanauskas Warfare Training Centre in Nemenčine on February 10-13.