US soldiers die in Lithuania: Details of tragedy during exercises near Belarus border

Contents

• What happened near the Belarus border
• What Lithuanian officials say
• What training took place in Pabradė?
• US soldiers have died

What happened near the Belarus border

Reports of four missing US Army soldiers and a tracked combat vehicle came in at 04:45 PM local time the previous day. The incident occurred during drills at the Pabradė training ground (Švenčionys district, near the Belarus border).

A large-scale search operation was launched on Tuesday, involving Lithuanian military forces. Additionally, the Lithuanian Armed Forces deployed helicopters today.

"The possible incident location has been identified, and a search-and-rescue operation is underway. Additional forces from the Fire and Rescue Department, along with other agencies, are involved," the Lithuanian military stated today.

The US Embassy in Vilnius also reported the incident. Search efforts are being carried out by US and Lithuanian military personnel, as well as local law enforcement and other agencies. The missing soldiers belong to the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, which was conducting planned tactical exercises at the time of the incident.

“I would like to personally thank the Lithuanian Armed Forces and first responders who quickly came to our aid in our search operations. It’s this kind of teamwork and support that exemplifies the importance of our partnership and our humanity regardless of what flags we wear on our shoulders,” said Lieutenant General Charles Costanza, commander of the 5th Corps.

According to the Police Department, initial reports mentioned three missing soldiers and a vehicle, but it was later confirmed that four soldiers were unaccounted for. The police have not commented on the incident yet, stating that the circumstances are still under investigation.

What Lithuanian officials say

Seimas National Security and Defense Committee Chair Giedrimas Jeglinskas acknowledged the disappearance but refrained from sharing details.

“The military and training forces ask for discretion and no comments. Let’s be respectful and allow the procedures to work. The police and all necessary elements are involved in the investigations,” he stated.

President Gitanas Nausėda said he is being regularly updated on the situation and the search efforts.

“I am constantly informed. I cannot confirm anything yet — circumstances are still being clarified. Once everything is confirmed, the public will be informed,” he assured.

Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas also promised to provide updates soon.

“I won’t disclose additional details for now. Much is already known, but the investigation will determine all the facts. Once the information is precise, it will be summarized and made public,” he confirmed.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Ignas Grinevičius stated that Minister Dovilė Sakalienė traveled to the training ground to oversee the search efforts and express solidarity with US forces.

What training took place in Pabradė?

US military exercises were held at the Lithuanian training ground, focusing on training the rotational force units stationed there. Two battalions of the US 3rd Infantry Division will remain in Pabradė for another nine months. Joint exercises with Lithuania and other NATO allies are planned.

It is believed that the missing soldiers were aboard an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle. These vehicles are based on the Abrams tank platform, making them extremely powerful and heavy, weighing up to 63 tons. This can be particularly dangerous in the swampy terrain of Pabradė.

Notably, such recovery vehicles have previously been supplied to Ukraine. The M88 is effectively used for evacuating damaged combat vehicles from the battlefield.

There have been past incidents in Pabradė. For example, in 2017, a soldier was injured when an explosive device detonated during training. In 2019, three soldiers were injured when a military vehicle crashed into a tree. That same year, another military vehicle overturned during exercises, resulting in two injuries.

US soldiers have died

Initially, multiple Lithuanian media outlets reported the incident, citing their own sources, but there was no official confirmation. According to LRT, all four soldiers traveling in the tracked vehicle were likely killed.

Lrytas reports that the vehicle has allegedly been found in a swamp. However, as of 06:00 PM local time, official sources had not confirmed this information.

"There is no information confirming this," said Gintautas Ciunis, a representative of the Lithuanian Armed Forces' Strategic Communications Department, in a comment to the ELTA news agency.

The New York Times, citing an unnamed US military official, stated that the soldiers were traveling in a heavy vehicle that may have sunk in the swamp. According to the official, they were following another heavy vehicle but veered off the road and could have been trapped inside the M88 when it submerged in water.

On the evening of the incident, Reuters published a report on the soldiers' deaths, citing NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who was visiting Warsaw. "Whilst I was speaking the news came out about four American soldiers who were killed in an incident in Lithuania," Rutte said, adding that he did not have further details.

Sources: materials from Reuters, The New York Times, and Lithuanian outlets BNS, LRT, and Delfi.