In brief
Four soldiers from the U.S. Army have gone missing during a training exercise in eastern Lithuania, prompting an extensive search operation involving international military and local authorities.
The U.S. military has reported that the missing soldiers belong to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, and were conducting scheduled tactical training in the vicinity of Pabrade. Their vehicle was reported missing around 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, leading to joint search efforts with Lithuanian military and law enforcement.Search operations are ongoing, with resources including Air Force helicopters being deployed to investigate a potential accident site. Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza expressed gratitude for the initial response from the Lithuanian Armed Forces, highlighting the collaboration and solidarity that exemplifies NATO's collective defense commitment.Lithuania, a NATO member, regularly hosts U.S. military training missions as part of bolstering regional security in light of ongoing tensions with Belarus, a close ally of Russia. These exercises typically involve multiple NATO allies, reinforcing partnership amidst the war in Ukraine.The situation remains critical as officials continue their search for the missing soldiers.
