Mark Rutte advanced that the soldiers had died after an incident in a training camp in Pabrade, 10 kilometers from the Belarus border border
Lithuanian authorities denied NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday and said there is no evidence that the four missing American soldiers on Tuesday to 10 kilometers from the Belarus border died.
“So far, there is no evidence or information that confirms the death of the military,” wrote the Lithuanian Armed Forces in the X, noting that a search and rescue operation is still underway.
Four United States soldiers and one tracked vehicle have gone missing during an exercise at a training ground in Lithuania. At the moment, there is no evidence or information confirming the death of the troops. A LTU Armed Forces-led rescue operation is intensively ongoing.
— Lithuanian_Armed_Forces (@LTU_Army)
On Wednesday afternoon, Mark Rutte said during a press conference in Warsaw that the four soldiers had died.
“While I was talking, the news came out about four American soldiers who were killed in an incident in Lithuania,” Rutte told reporters in Warsaw.
In a statement, the American Army command to Europe and Africa stated that the four soldiers of the 3rd Brigade’s 3rd Infantry Division, “were doing a tactical training scheduled at the time of the incident.”
In the note, Lieutenant General Charles Constanza of V Corps is cited, who thanked the Armed Forces of Lithuania and emergency services for the response ready to the incident.
“It’s this kind of teamwork and support that exemplifies the importance of our partnership and our humanity, regardless of the flags we use on our shoulders.”
According to Lituano LTT public canal, the exercises were taking place in the General Silvestras Training field Zukauskas, in Pabrade, about a dozen kilometers from the Belarus border.
Lithuania has been a NATO member since 2004. Currently, the US has a prominent battalion in the country.
Vehicle where the soldiers followed was found “submerged”
Early on Wednesday night, the American Army command to Europe and Africa said the vehicle where the soldiers were following was found “submerged in a mass of water”, reinforcing that search operations still take place.
“Efforts to be developed for recovery by the US Army and the Armed Forces and Civil Agencies of Lithuania,”
