AUGUST 2019. NO 8 (15).

NEWS

NATO eFP BG WELCOMED THE NEW COMMANDER

FIRST IFV "VILKAS" DELIVERED TO

NATO'S PRESENCE Photo credit: Alfredas Pliadis (MoD) credit: Alfredas Pliadis Photo REFUSED TO BE A MUSICIAN, CHOSE TO BE A SOLDIER Maj Gen Valdemaras Rupšys Took Over the Flag of the ON JULY 25 OUTGOING CHIEF OF DEFENCE LT GEN JONAS VYTAUTAS ŽUKAS HANDED OVER THE COMMAND TO THE NEW CHIEF OF DEFENCE SPECIAL OF LITHUANIA MAJ GEN VALDEMARAS RUPŠYS IN THE CATHEDRAL SQUARE IN FRONT OF PARADING TROOPS. LITHUANIAN ARMED FORCES IN THE INTERWAR uring the solemn ceremony, the de- with ceremonial colours, the Honour Guard PERIOD: DEVELOPMENT AND cree of the President of the Republic Company in present-time and 14th c. uni- PRESTIGE of Lithuania on the appointment of forms and weaponry lined up in the Cathedral MajorD General V. Rupšys as Chief of Defence Square, and the Lithuanian Armed Forces was announced. Maj Gen V. Rupšys swore the Band performed. The ceremony was attended integrity of Lithuanian lands and to strengthen by top leadership of the National Defence Sys- the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The regalia of tem and the Lithuanian Armed Forces, NGO command was presented to the incoming Chief representatives, general audience. of Defence by the Commander-in-Chief of the "Every leader comes with his own vision, Lithuanian Armed Forces, President of the Re- ideas and brings innovation. Progress can only public of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda. be made if leaders have the insight to see the Platoons of all services and their subordi- opportunity for changes and both the courage nate brigades of the Lithuanian Armed Forces See page 11 Dear readers, Content Not so long ago we had an important date to remember. July 4, 1776 was the time the (US) laid down its claim to NEWS be a free and independent nation. Since then, this day has become not only a joyful and solemn commemoration of the historic MAJ GEN VALDEMARAS RUPŠYS TOOK OVER event but a significant date which all Americans’ partners should THE FLAG OF THE LITHUANIAN ARMED not forget as well. FORCES...... 1,11 The Sumner Welles Declaration is considered a symbol of unity between the and the US. Thanks to our great partner, NATO EFP BG WELCOMED THE NEW COMMANDER.....3 the Lithuanian tricolour and other Baltic flags fluttered in the US Department of State for five decades. On July 23, 1940, Benjamin A NECESSARY RISE: LITHUANIA BOLSTERS ITS Sumner Welles, the United States’ acting Secretary of State, issued CYBERSECURITY...... 3 a declaration in which the US officially condemned the Soviet -oc cupation of the Baltic States and did not recognize the annexation LITHUANIA MODERNIZES ITS DEFENSES...... 4,5 during the Cold War until the very restoration of Independence of ALLIED DETACHMENT DID 160 KM OF ours and our neighbours. MARCHING...... 5 This country is also a strategic partner of Lithuania, actively participating in the implementation of security measures and sta- RAF CHARTS A RISE IN RUSSIAN ACTIVITY...... 6 bility in our region — that’s why we can see the US troops walk- ing among ours who are deployed in Lithuanian land and helping MANY NATIONS ARE INVOLVED IN AFGHAN SECURITY. us to develop anti-tank and missile systems. Just to name a few HERE ARE THE CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS...... 7 cases where the US put a big contribution to our readiness and safety, as one of the examples we could mention the landing of SOF TRAINED IN FLAMING SWORD 2019...... 8,9 two the most advanced and expensive US fighter aircrafts Lock- heed Martin F-35A Lightning II at the Base in Šiauliai. JEF JOINT ACTIONS AT BALTIC PROTECTOR IN It was part of a US military exercise Rapid Forge which shows the KAIRIAI...... 9 Americans’ determination to defend the airspace of all the Baltic States and Poland. FIRST IFV "VILKAS" DELIVERED TO In addition, the US supports us not only with their soldiers, LITHUANIA...... 10 but also with financial funds and technique; this country is con- sistently increasing its financial support to strengthen European, ROTATIONAL FORCE OF PORTUGAL DEPLOYED including Lithuania’s, defence capabilities and military infrastruc- TO LITHUANIA...... 11 ture by one third each year. Moreover, the US is also one of the major partners in arms procurement: Lithuania plans to purchase NATO'S PRESENCE light tactical vehicles JLTV, we are also buying anti-aircraft mis- REFUSED TO BE A MUSICIAN, CHOSE TO BE A siles, turrets for combat equipment, anti-tank missile system Jav- SOLDIER...... 12 elin, and other equipment. With this being said, we would like to express our gratitude to SPECIAL our ally and wish to keep on thriving! LITHUANIAN ARMED FORCES IN THE INTERWAR Cordially, PERIOD: DEVELOPMENT AND PRESTIGE...... 18 Team of the "Lithuanian Military Digest"

Military Press Office of Lithuanian Armed Forces Totorių str. 25, LT-01121, ; Phone (370 5) 210 3897, GSM (370 6) 28 75851; fax (370 5) 273 5550; Kotryna Gurevičiūtė Correspondent Phone (370 5) 210 3897, GSM (370 6) 28 75851; fax (370 5) 273 5550; Email [email protected]

Publisher — Lithuanian Armed Forces. The opinion of editorial office does not necessarily coin- cide with the opinion of the authors. Pictures, manuscripts are not returned and reviewed. Cir- culation is 300 copies. Printed by the Cartography Center of Lithuanian Military, Muitinės str.4, , LT-54359 dist. Order GL-367. Photo credit: Alfredas Pliadis (MoD) credit: Alfredas Pliadis Photo

2 Lithuanian Military Digest News

NATO eFP BG Welcomed the New Commander n August 1 change of command and rotations ceremony took place in the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group (eFP BG) in . Representative of the Ger- Oman Armed Forces Lieutenant Peer Papenbroock handed over the command to his fellow German representative Lieutenant Colonel Rouven Habel after having been in charge of the NATO eFP BG Lithu- ania since February. Lt Col Rouven Habel is the commander of the 391st Mechanised Infantry Battalion of the . "NATO eFP is a perfect practical example of the unity of the Alliance. By contributing troops to the forward presence mission our Allies demonstrate commitments to collective obligations and security of the Baltic countries. Alongside the Air Policing and the NATO Force Integration Unit, the eFP sends a strong message to our adversaries: NATO is indivisible, and the key rule of unity when all allies stand for one is viable and intact," Vice Minister of National Defence Vytautas Umbrasas said at the ceremony.

V. Umbrasas thanked outgoing Commander Lt Col P. Papenbroock Wolf Iron Stonys/MIB Virginijus credit: Class Sgt 1st Photo for an excellent job and wished luck in continuing the activities to Lt Col R. Habel who is assuming the command of the thousand-strong battle Deployed at the Training Regiment in Rukla since the beginning group. "On our behalf, I would like to stress that Lithuania will continue of 2017, the multinational battle group is integrated into the Mecha- the necessary support and cooperation with the battle group,"’ he said. nised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Vice Minister also welcomed the incoming rotations of German, Over 8 thousand troops from 9 NATO allies have already rotated to Dutch, Belgian, Czech and Norwegian troops taking the baton of the form the NATO eFP BG Lithuania over the period of time of more NATO mission in Lithuania and wished luck in their service. Iceland is than two years. represented in the Battle Group by a civilian expert. Lithuanian Armed Forces inf. A Necessary Rise: Lithuania Bolsters Its Cybersecurity ithuania is rising to the top of those including the design of hardware to prevent countries taking charge of their cy- cyberattacks. bersecurity, and its development in Lithuania’s focus on cybersecurity isn’t just Lcyberspace may benefit the rest of Europe and insular. The country participates at the inter- the United States (U. S.). national level by leading the ’s Lithuania has reason to focus on cyber- permanent structured cooperation, or PESCO, threats: it’s no secret targets the Baltic project on cyber rapid response teams and mu- States with cyberattacks and disinformation tual assistance in cybersecurity. campaigns. Though Lithuania saw a decrease in Lithuania and other EU countries are creating the number of total cyber incidents recognized a common capability to respond to cyberattacks last year, the country is reporting that the num- by developing a cyber-toolkit that will support

ber of sophisticated cyberattacks increased by credit: Flickr.com Photo EU members in times of need, the Lithuanian 41 percent. Those malicious incidents include MoD told Defense News in a statement. malware, system intrusion and compromised aimed to keep cyberspace for both the public But challenges remain. The country ac- systems. and private sectors resilient against attacks. knowledges that technological solutions can’t On average, the country sees 55,000 inci- The government is also building a secure fully counter new vulnerabilities. Cyberattacks dents each year — roughly 150 incidents a state data-transfer network that is not linked against Lithuania are becoming more sophisti- day — which is a lot when compared to pop- to the public internet, which will be able to cated, the MoD acknowledges, and have been as- ulation numbers in Lithuania, a government operate even if the public internet goes down, sociated with hybrid threats, where attacks were official told. whether caused by a large-scale cyberattack or conducted in parallel to information warfare. Lithuania has made cybersecurity a top pri- a natural disaster, in order to secure data and All of this is compounded by a growing ority and, because of its efforts, is recognized maintain reliable communication. number of devices in the country. as one of the best prepared countries when it The strategy also promotes the develop- Social engineering methods are also being comes to cyberspace, only behind the United ment of cyber defense capabilities, so in 2018, used actively and in different forms, the MoD Kingdom, the U.S. and , according to the Lithuania, in cooperation with the U. S., es- reports, and the government networks and Global Cybersecurity Index. tablished a regional Cyber Security Center in critical information infrastructure continue to Lithuania officially adopted a national -cy Kaunas that will partially focus on research and be the most attacked sectors by malware. bersecurity strategy in August 2018, which is development of next-generation capabilities, www.defensenews.com inf.

August 2019. No 8. 3 News Lithuania Modernizes its Defenses s Russia builds up its military power billion — to include acquisition of weapons, would be wheeled like the Boxers or tracked in Kaliningrad and its Western Mili- equipment and the stockpiling of ammunition like the M113s has yet to be determined, ac- tary District and gains influence with through 2022. cording to a Lithuanian defense official. Aits neighbor Belarus, Lithuania continues to Lithuania has embarked on a variety of big As Russia builds it air defense systems, par- invest a great deal in the modernization of its modernization projects, officials at the Minis- ticularly stationing them close to home in Ka- defensive capabilities with plans to increase de- try of Defense told Defense News on a recent liningrad, Lithuania has focused harder on its fense spending in the years to come. trip with the Atlantic Council. own air defense at a variety of ranges. Spurred by Russia’s annexation of Crimea, The three largest acquisition programs are The Raytheon and Kongsberg-made NA- Lithuania embarked on an ambitious modern- the purchase of Boxer infantry fighting vehi- SAMS will fulfill the country’s medium-range ization plan for its military in 2014. By 2017, cles, a mid-range air defense system — the Na- air defense needs along with the integration of the country had doubled its defense spending tional Advanced Surface to Air Missile System short and very-short-range air defense assets to more than $800 million, which put it in the or NASAMS — and PzH2000 self-propelled that are interoperable with U.S. and other al- top 10 list of defense spenders among NATO howitzers from Germany. lied systems, a Lithuanian defense official said. allies, measured as a percentage of GDP. In The country took receipt of the first two The country already has the GROM air de- 2016, for example, the country’s investments Boxer IFVs last month, which were fielded to fense system — a man-portable system manu- amounted to one of largest increases within the its mechanized infantry Iron Wolf Brigade, factured in Poland — and Stinger missiles inte- Alliance, in relative terms. based at Rukla training center. grated into its force structure. Photo credit: Flickr.com Photo

And while Lithuania reached the NATO- The current scope of the IFV project is to Lithuania is investing over $150 million member commitment to spend 2 percent of its field two mechanized infantry battalions’ worth in the current NASAMS project, but plans to GDP on defense in 2018, it won’t stop there, of the vehicles, but the country’s ambition is to spend over an additional $130 million to reach with goals to spend 2.5 percent by 2030. field IFVs to the entire brigade. full operational capability by 2028. The country also made improvements last The Boxers are intended to replace the armed But the country would like to see the U.S. year in its acquisition process by standing up force’s M113 armored personnel carriers. bolster its air defenses with Sentinel radars or a new centralized system and defense resource Lithuania is considering buying another Raytheon-made Advanced Medium-Range Air- agency in charge of procuring armaments and round of IFVs but won’t make a decision on to-Air Missiles. A defense official said such an managing defense projects with a goal of trans- requirements or a way forward until it has gath- enhancement through U.S. support would be parency, according to a Lithuanian Ministry of ered lessons learned from the Iron Wolf’s expe- "highly appreciated." Defense white paper. rience with the Boxer vehicles around 2021. The armed forces are also getting PzH200 As the overall defense budget continues The country is leaving its options open re- howitzers from Germany. The Iron Wolf Bri- to rise, Lithuania is planning to spend 25 per- garding possible requirements for a second gade took receipt of the first two upgraded cent of it on modernization — a total of €2.5 IFV, which means whether those vehicles See page 5

4 Lithuanian Military Digest News

Allied Detachment Did 160 km of Marching fter four days of marching, the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group’s (eFP BG) four day marching Adetachment consisting of Lithuanian, Dutch and German troops, reached the finish in Ni- jmegen, The Netherlands. This detachment took part in the event for the first time. The joint effort of soldiers from different countries stretch the bond between the countries and that of NATO. The detachment was welcomed by the Dutch State Secretary for Defence, Bar- bara Visser and the Chief of Defence, Admiral Rob Bauer. The Four Day Marche are a walking achievement event in The Netherlands for four consecutive days, in which annually tens of thousands walkers are participating with over five thousand soldiers from all over the world. On those days, people come to Nijmegen to walk in and around the city and its wooded sur- roundings. More than one million people visit this event each year and thousands of specta- eFP BG credit: NATO Photo tors are cheering on the walkers along the route Lithuanian Armed Forces units and Dutch and alone. By marching together, the soldiers show every day. After four days of walking, a glorious German soldiers of the NATO eFP, the rota- that they are one alliance and that they support entry along the Via Gladiola awaits the par- tional NATO forces in Lithuania. The soldiers each other when needed. To be well prepared, ticipants, followed by the distribution of their covered the distance in four days and had to they already walked several hundreds of kilo- well-deserved Four Days Medal. carry at least 10 kg in their backpacks. In com- metres in Lithuania beforehand. The detachment was formed out of different bat, a soldier cannot accomplish his mission NATO eFP BG inf.

From page 4 factured UH-60 Black Hawk could be a con- newest equipment and vehicles that will be howitzers in December 2018. Overall the bri- tender, but the country is only in the investi- shortly received by our Armed Forces." gade will get 21 of the 155mm self-propelled gation phase of the program, according to a But it’s not enough just to modernize equip- systems. defense official. ment, so Lithuania is also investing in the abil- From the U. S., Lithuania has decided to Lithuania is also in the market to replenish ity for its military and its allies to maneuver procure Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, the its ammunition stocks. The country’s inven- seamlessly into and through the country, as a U.S. Army’s Humvee replacement, which was tory fell particularly during the financial crisis timely response in a crisis is as important as the cleared for full-rate production in June after a beginning in 2008, when the defense budget weapons that would arrive to a fight. six-month delay. decreased. Lithuania is working to improve faster re- Now that the Army has approved full-rate And some of types ammunition, particular- loading from European to Eastern railway gaug- production for the JLTV, it is expected that ex- ly in the larger calibers, will age out before use es and is upgrading heavy-weight platforms to ports could ramp up soon. Slovenia has already based on the current training program sched- accommodate the entry of tanks, which Lithu- placed an order for a small number of JLTVs, ule, an official noted. ania does not have in its own inventory. and it’s likely the United Kingdom as well as The ministry is engaged in a large effort to The country is also supporting the European Lithuania will be future customers. reduce the shortage gaps and with the increase gauge railway which will reach up to the inter- The Ministry of Defense is hoping to sign a in the budget, Lithuania is beginning to invest modal terminal in Kaunas, in central Lithuania. contract with the U. S. for roughly 200 JLTVs heavily in replenishment of stocks and training The line will be ready to support the U.S. Army by the end of the year, an official said. ammunition. exercise Defender Europe in 2020. The railway Lithuania is considering a follow-on pur- And Lithuania is benefiting from a U.S. de- line extension will allow allied armored forces chase of additional JLTVs — possibly up to cision to allocated $100 million to bolster mu- to load trains at Belgian or Dutch seaports and 300 more — after the first lot is under contract. nition in the three Baltic States. unload them in the middle of Lithuania with- While the country has been focused on in- Simulation is also helping Lithuania man- out stopping to switch gauges. creasing its firepower, land-based mobility and age its training-ammunition shortage. "Lithu- And Lithuania is improving unloading capa- air-defense capabilities, it is also considering ania has prepared and is continuously revising bilities at key locations such at the central train- the possible procurement of utility simulation plans for training purposes," an of- ing area in Pabrade through a joint project with to replace its Soviet Mi-8 helicopters. ficial wrote to Defense News following the trip. international cooperation. The U.S. Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky manu- "Simulation systems are also procured for the www.defensenews.com inf.

August 2019. No 8. 5 News

RAF Charts a Rise in Russian Activity

"Then we will be vectored, told to fly to this location where the aircraft are, and then there’s a procedure for coming up alongside an air- craft," he said. "We professionally and safely in- tercept that aircraft in a way that is understood by all parties. Then we will stay in a safe and comfortable position until that aircraft has left the region. There’s no aggression with it. It’s very professional on both sides." Throughout the encounter, the Typhoons remain in contact with the Estonian air control facility on Amari Air Base, where Estonian per- sonnel control the aircraft and pass on infor- mation to the air operations center. The RAF Typhoons alternate Baltic air-po- licing duties with Spanish F/A-18 and Hun- garian Gripen fighters based on Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania. But during an "on week," pilots remain on QRA, even if they have other Photo credits: Flickr.com credits: Photo engagements, as 121st did this weekend when he British (RAF) is aircraft and later a Su-30 with an Il-76 trans- it participated in the Amari Airshow, Boreham noting an increase of air activity by port aircraft. said. Russia as the service conducts NA- "We’re doing, about average, three a Speaking to reporters July 17, U.S. Air Force TO’sT Baltic air-policing mission this summer. week, which is about what we were expect- Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein acknowl- However, pilots on the ground in re- ing," Wing Commander David Boreham, edged a rise in Russian activity near the Bal- port that the intercepts remain safe and profes- commanding officer of the 121st, told -De tic States, but said that all parties continue to sional. fense News during the Amari Airshow. abide by the basic rules of aerial engagement. Four Eurofighter Typhoons from the RAF’s Because the Baltic nations — Estonia, "What we’ve got to make sure that we don’t 11 Squadron arrived at Amari Air Base on and Lithuania — have small air forces, allow happen is for that professionalism to April 24 for the four-month NATO mission. NATO deploys fighter jets to the region to start degrading in any way, shape or form," he Since then, the pace of operations has been conduct routine air policing of those coun- said. "The good news is we’ve been doing this high, said Air Chief Marshal Stephen Hillier, tries’ respective airspace. for Russian air forces for over 50 years, and I’m the RAF’s chief of the air staff. The Typhoons conducting the Baltic air- one that wants to make sure that we can con- "For anyone that had any doubt about the policing mission are on "quick reaction alert," tinue to do this for the next 50 years because levels of activities we are facing, note that since or QRA, which requires a heightened state of we hold ourselves to a high standard as two arriving in Estonia... our Typhoons have al- readiness so jets can scramble "within min- professional air forces. And I would say the ready scrambled 13 times in response to Rus- utes" of notification by an air operations center same thing about the Chinese air force." sian activity over the Baltic Sea — many more to launch, Boreham said. www.defensenews.com inf. times than in the whole of our last deployment there in 2016," he said July 17 during the Air and Space Power Conference in London. The latest RAF scramble occurred June 29, when two Typhoons were launched to inter- cept two Su-27 fighters and one Il-22 "Coot," the nickname given to a Russian transport plane when configured as an aerial command post or reconnaissance asset. "The event passed without incident," said Squadron Leader Darren Scales, the media of- ficer for the the 121st Expeditionary Air Wing, which is conducting the air-policing mission in Estonia. The latest intercept follows back-to-back events June 14 and 15, when the Typhoons scrambled to intercept a Russian Su-30 fighter

6 Lithuanian Military Digest News

Many Nations are Involved in Afghan Security. Here are the Challenges and Benefits oint reconstruction efforts in Afghani- stan between NATO and U.S. forces con- J tinue to face myriad challenges as they provide multilateral security sector assistance in the country, according to the special inspec- tor general for Afghanistan reconstruction. John Sopko presented the findings from a report, "Divided Responsibility: Lessons from U.S. Security Sector Assistance Efforts in Af- ghanistan," during a speech at a NATO confe- rence. "The first challenge is that after 17 years, there is no single person, agency, country or military service that has had sole responsibility for over- seeing security sector assistance in Afghanistan," he said. While the U.S.-NATO commander is largely responsible for the effort, the command- er has no direct authority over civilians partici- pating in the mission, he noted, leading to un- even development of the Afghan security force credit: Flickr.com Photo and hindering the standardization of security sector assistance programs in the country. One study cited in the report found that Af- helicopters, and Italian, Romanian and Turkish Furthermore, countries consistently deploy ghan leaders prefer working with U.S. advising advisers leverage their police training experi- fewer troops than they actually pledge, he said. teams because those teams are not restricted to ence," Sopko said and added that coordinating These "chronic shortfalls" create their own specific areas. a multilateral approach is also made simpler challenges in the mission, he added. But Sopko also discussed the benefits of under a NATO umbrella. Countries also place caveats on the use of NATO’s involvement in Afghanistan. Special Operations Forces of the Armed their forces, such as geographic limits, the in- "Personnel from other nations possess ex- Forces of the Republic of Lithuania operates spector general said. "When countries were pertise that would not have been available in since 2002 and took part in such international viewed as withholding their full effort, it cre- a solely American mission. Czech, Lithuanian exercises as "Enduring Freedom" and Interna- ated the perception of placing a disproportion- and Hungarian advisers provide training on So- tional Security Assistance Force. ate burden on others," he explained. viet-style aircraft, such as the Mi-35 and Mi-17 www.defensenews.com inf. First Time the Operation Rapid Forge in Baltic Region n July 16 F-15E fighter air- ones that can deploy and arrive to help craft and C-130 mobility in the most rapid manner if a crisis aircraft of the U.S. Air Force develops. That is why such exercises Olanded at the Base strengthen the allies’ readiness to enact in Šiauliai to take part in the U.S.-led the defence immediately and effective- Operation Rapid Forge, an air defence ly," R. Karoblis says. exercise held in our region for the first Units of the Lithuanian Armed Forc- time. es trained alongside U.S. personnel and "This air defence exercise held for assets. Lithuanian troops were ensuring the first time sends a strong signal ground-based air defence, tactical air that the U.S. is ready to respond to the credit: USAF Photo control, and location of ground-based changes in security environment rapidly and to train air-to-air battle, suppression of enemy targets. The exercise tasks were executed in the contribute to the defence of the Baltic States if air defences, air support, ground-based air de- Lithuanian airspace and Kazlų Rūda Training necessary," acting Minister of National Defence fence, Host Nation Support, civil-military air Area, and all necessary support was available at Raimundas Karoblis says. space control, and other tasks. Šiauliai Air Base. The exercise provided an opportunity to "Allied and NATO air capabilities are the Lithuanian MoD inf.

August 2019. No 8. 7 News

SOF Trained in Flaming Sword 2019 Photo credits: Lithuanian Special Operations Forces Operations Special Lithuanian credits: Photo

ultinational special operations Lithuanian Special Operations Forces assessed Other institutions of the country cooper- forces Exercise Flaming Sword the exercise. ated closely with the training audience of Flam- 2019 wrapped in Lithuania on All services of the Lithuanian Armed Forces ing Sword 2019 as well: State Security Depart- JuneM 30. Participants of the month-long ex- and representatives of the Logistics Command, ment, Lithuanian Police Department, ARAS ercise trained arranging resistance in the cap- Military Police, Training and Doctrine Com- Anti-Terrorist Operations Unit, State Border tured part of a country. Main attention at the mand, and the 2nd Investigations Department Guard Service, Fire and Rescue Department exercise was given to enhancing cooperation collaborated on the largest exercise under Ministry of the Interior, Emergency between NATO allies and partners in a resis- in the Baltic region as well. Lithuanian troops Medical Service, Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union tance propelled by the special forces and the trained alongside our foreign partners from the and city municipalities. Such assistance and co- collective defence of the Baltic region. , Denmark, the United States, operation are vital in order to make the exercise "We have an exceptional opportunity to United Kingdom, Latvia, Poland, Norway, Geor- scenario depicting organisation and conduct of unify the response of the society, Lithuanian gia, and Ukraine, representatives of the NATO resistance in temporarily captured territory of Armed Forces, and our NATO Special Opera- Special Operations Headquarters (NSHQ) and the state realistic. tions Forces colleagues to defence Lithuania in the NATO Force Integration Unit Lithuania. This was the first time the Prosecutor Gen- the most complicated case scenario, based on "Exercise Flaming Sword offers a unique eral‘s Office of the Republic of Lithuania joined the contemporary threats to Lithuania and the opportunity for U.S. and partner special forces the exercise. "Readiness to respond to an emer- region to the maximum. What has impressed to share insights and best practices while train- gency or in wartime is the priority of not only me most is the civic consciousness and moti- ing according to a complex scenario. Such the Lithuanian Armed Forces but also all the vation of our society as they joined the resis- exercises strengthen the bonds between our state institutions. Therefore participation in tance simulated in the exercise — participating Alliance and partner nations and consistently various types of exercises, enhancement of ca- civil organisations and individual citizens inte- improves integration, interoperability and pacity and inter-institutional cooperation will grated their areas or expertise and experience training," Vice Admiral Timothy G. Szyman- remain important," Prosecutor General Eval- resourcefully in order not only to contribute to ski, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Special das Pašilis said. the special operations but also to arrange non- Operations Command said during his visit to Just like in the previous editions of Flam- violent resistance actions," Commander of the Lithuania and the exercise. ing Sword, the exercise this year included sol- diers of the National Defence Volunteer Force (NDVF) whose active participation is crucial in order to execute a decisive and successful resistance across the entire Lithuanian terri- tory by assembling not only military but also non-kinetic and community capabilities with regard to the dynamic and complexity of the current day conflicts. This year NDVF soldiers shoulder to shoulder with Special Operations Forces troops and local authorities and com- munities contributed to the organisation of resistance and rendered assistance to local residents. Exercise Flaming Sword 2019 placed an emphasis on the Special Operations Forces See page 9

8 Lithuanian Military Digest News

JEF Joint Actions at Baltic Protector in Kairiai oldiers of Lithuania and the United Kingdom (UK) assigned to the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) trained joint actions at the Lithuanian Armed Forces training area in Kairiai S(Klaipėda region) on June 26 – July 3. The exercise was the final phase of the Baltic Protector deployment of the JEF Maritime Task Group which began back in late May in the Baltic Sea. The training event involved approximately 70 soldiers of the UK and over 100 soldiers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Motorised Infantry Brigade Griffin and the 3rd Territorial Unit of the Žemaičių Military Dis- trict of the National Defence Volunteer Force. "Building clearing, destruction of fire emplacements and conduct of ambushes were the main tasks we trained at this exercise. We focussed significantly not only on the quality of task completion but also on cul- tivating the competence of the soldiers in the positions of command," Exercise Conductor Captain Simonas Jurgelevičius said about the main Jokšaitė Laura credits: Photo highlight of cooperation with the British colleagues. erlands, Norway, Finland, and Sweden. The deployment demonstrating the Lithuanian and UK troops began joint actions after the JEF night-time units’ ability to ensure security in the region is commanded from aboard amphibious landing operation on the beach of Nemirseta on June 28. Royal Navy ship HMS Albion. "Lithuanian soldiers have experience and enthusiasm. We came here At the deployment the JEF showcased not only the ability to act to share experience — show different possibilities and methods that we alone but also to support other international organisations — it co- are using. There is always a reciprocal connection — we are learning to- operated with NATO allies in the annual U.S.-led Exercise BALTOPS gether with the Lithuanian soldiers the best ways to train, the best prin- during the second phase of Baltic Protector. Soldiers were completing ciples to act upon in order to shape the skills and abilities that we need. tasks in the Baltic Sea near the shores of Germany and Sweden. Many of the British soldiers are first time in Lithuania and we sincerely The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force was established at the NATO hope that we will all meet again more than once," 1st Lieutenant Jack Summit in 2014 and became operational after one year. The force Scott, headquarters group of 3 Commando Brigade said. reached Full Operational Capability in June 2018 with the signature of Exercise Baltic Protector, the first deployment of the JEF Maritime Task the Comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding in London and an- Group of such scope, running from 24 May to 8 July involved approxi- nouncement of the capability reached. Today the high-readiness rapid mately 3 thousand soldiers and 17 warships from all the nine UK-led JEF response force comprising 10 thousand troops can be activated to re- nations: United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Neth- spond to emergencies in Europe and beyond any time necessary. The of the Republic of Lithuania gave a mandate for the Lith- uanian Armed Forces to take part in military operations as part of the NATO Response Force, European Union Battle Groups and the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, therefore, once there is a political decision, there is also the legal basis to deploy our soldiers at short notice and en- sure crisis management. One Lithuanian officer has been serving in the JEF operational head- quarters in Northwood, United Kingdom, since early 2016.Lithuania is contributing a company sized unit to the JEF which is assigned to the Combat Group of the Danish Armed Forces and a military medic as- signed to the UK field hospital. The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania mandated participation of up to 190 Lithuanian soldiers and civilians in JEF activities this year. Lithuanian Armed Forces inf.

From page 8 operations alongside special operations forces standards and requirements and the evacua- of Ukraine. Its readiness to perform a standby units of the Alliance. tion results were presented in the NATO SOF for the NATO Response Force (NRF) whose "It has been the first time a special opera- final evaluation report. I thank the partner mission is to respond to a wide range of secu- tions unit of country which is not a member countries for assisting Ukrainian SOF in be- rity challenges in a particularly short notice of NATO has been successfully certified by coming closer to the global SOF team, and the in 2020 was assessed. A Ukrainian Special NATO after having demonstrate a wide spec- personnel of the Ukrainian Special Operations Operations Land Task Group, that also re- trum of capabilities and has acquired the right Land Task Group," Commander of the Special ceived training from the Lithuanian Special to act as part of the NATO Response Force. Operations Forces of Ukraine Lt Gen Ihor Lu- Operations Forces from 2015, was certified The Ukrainian Special Operations Unit under- nov said. for standby for the NRF and conduct special went evaluation according to the NATO SOF Lithuanian Armed Forces inf.

August 2019. No 8. 9 News

First IFV "Vilkas" Delivered to Lithuania Photo credits: ARTEC and Lithuanian MoD (Sgt Spc Lukas Tamošiūnas) Lukas Spc (Sgt MoD Lithuanian and ARTEC credits: Photo

irst 2 of 88 Infantry Fighting Ve- ufacturer ARTEC, and the Organisation for Lithuanian Armed Forces — the possibility to hicles (IFV) "Vilkas" were delivered Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), all use collective IFV spare parts and central de- to Lithuania on June 25. After a year 88 Lithuanian purchased IFVs "Vilkas" will be pots and repair capabilities for principal IFV Fof intense testing in training areas and testing delivered to the Lithuanian Armed Forces un- systems, to receive technical and engineer sup- centres of Germany and the Netherlands, serial til late 2021. It is planned that 15 IFVs "Vilkas" port, etc., when the IFVs are operated by the production of the squad-level fighting vehicles will be delivered to Lithuania this year. Lithuanian Armed Forces. for the Lithuanian Armed Forces has started. The combination of the IFV "Vilkas" fire- The Lithuanian Armed Forces have also IFVs "Vilkas" have been made by a Ger- power, manoeuvrability and crew protection been using two DTVs "Boxer" without the man manufacturer ARTEC, according to the meets the demands of the Lithuanian Armed weaponry systems since 2017 specifically for requirements of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Forces best in terms of national defence and training military drivers. The initial in-service The vehicles have Israel-made turrets, 30 mm international deployments. The IFVs "Vilkas" logistical support package includes spare parts, MK-44S cannons and "Spike LR" anti-tank will be used by the Mechanised Infantry Bri- support and test equipment, technical and missiles, other specialised equipment and elec- gade "Iron Wolf" units: Lithuanian Grand training documentation, and training equip- tronic systems. Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion ment is also received. The first IFVs "Vilkas" were delivered to the and the Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion. In order to keep the link with the history Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Battalion in Lithuania, together with the Netherlands of Lithuania and traditions of the Lithuanian Rukla to carry out acceptance procedures and and Germany, is a part of the IFV Boxer Sup- Armed Forces, it was agreed by the IFV manu- after that formally given for using in the Lithu- ply and Maintenance Program of the NATO facturer and Lithuania that the IFVs produced anian Armed Forces. Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). according to Lithuania’s requirements would According to the 385.6 million euros con- It ensures an appropriate logistical provision be called "Vilkas" instead of "Boxer". tract made in 2016 by Lithuania, the IFV man- of the infantry fighting vehicles bought by the Lithuanian MoD inf.

10 Lithuanian Military Digest News

Maj Gen Valdemaras Rupšys Took Over the Flag of the Lithuanian Armed Forces From page 1 and ingenuity to implement them," said acting Minister of Defence Raimundas Karoblis. Maj Gen V. Rupšys joined the Lithuanian Armed Forces in 1990 and had been in charge of different units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, headed the Human Resources Depart- ment of the Ministry of National Defence, etc. He was appointed as Commander of the Lithu- anian Land Force in 2016 and promoted to major general after two years. V. Rupšys is an alumnus of the General Jonas Žemaits Military Academy of Lithuania, Baltic Defence College (Estonia), U.S. Army War College. One day before, Raimun- das Vaikšnoras took over the responsibilities of the Commander of the Land Force from already current Chief of Defence of Lithuania Maj Gen Valdemaras Rupšys at a ceremony in Vilnius. Before the present appointment, Brig Gen Raimundas Vaikšnoras was the acting Chief of the Defence Staff of Lithuania. The new Chief of Defence Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces also took offise on July 29th — he is Brigadier General Gintautas Zenkevičius who was the head of Teaching and Doctrines Board.

Lithuanian MoD inf. (MoD) credit: Alfredas Pliadis Photo Rotational Force of Portugal Deployed to Lithuania oldiers of the rotational The Portuguese rotational force of Portugal were wel- force is deployed to Lithuania as comed at the Lithuanian part of the Assurance Measures GrandS Duke Butigeidis Dragoon agreed to by NATO for strength- Battalion of the Lithuanian Armed ening the security of Central and Forces Motorised Infantry Bri- Eastern European allies. Last gade Griffin in Klaipėda on July 3. Portuguese rotational force, a Soldiers of the Lithuanian Grand Marine company, was deployed Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battal- in Lithuania in spring 2018. Por- ion and Duke Margiris Infantry tugal has been sending rotational Battalion also stood in the line-up. forces to Lithuania since the The Portuguese soldiers are summer of 2015. based at the barracks of Butigei- Rotational land force compa- dis Battalion in Klaipėda and nies of Belgium, the Czech Repub- are training mainly with the Bat- lic, Denmark, U.S., Poland, Lux- talion’s soldiers. Over the entire embourg, and Germany rotation time they will also train have trained in Lithuania so far with colleagues from the Lithu- since spring 2014 when the Assur- anian Navy and the Lithuanian ance Measures were established.

Special Operations Forces. (MoD) Jokšaitė credit: Laura Photo Lithuanian Armed Forces inf.

August 2019. No 8. 11 NATO's presence Photo credit: KotrynaPhoto Gurevičiūtė Refused to Be a Musician, Chose to Be a Soldier BEING JUST A GIRL SHE LOVED SPENDING HOURS IN A GARAGE OBSERVING HER DAD REPAIRING CARS — NO WONDER THAT WHILE IN LITHUANIA EVERYBODY COULD USUALLY SEE HER BEHIND THE TRUCK’S WHEEL. BACK AT CHILDHOOD TIMES, SHE DIDN’T WANT TO PLAY MUSIC INSTRUMENTS, SHE WANTED TO PLAY SOLDIERS. RIGHT BEFORE RETURNING HOME AFTER SIX MONTHS OF SERVICE IN NATO ENHANCED FORWARD PRESENCE BATTLE GROUP (EFP BG), CZECH SGT MARKÉTA SHARED A PIECE OF HER STORY.

NOT A STANDARD GIRL truck driver which satisfied her enough. And Rukla and transferring all of their stuff during Women make around 20% of the Armed no wonder — during childhood this girl used the exercises. Forces of the Czech Republic and it is neces- to spend a lot of time with her father in their "During holidays, mum used to take us — sary to obtain a certain specialization in order garage with the cars. Even though today back at me and my older sister — to the forests. When to become a part of it. So, right after Sgt Marké- her home country she doesn’t drive trucks any- going hiking or camping we could spend one ta became a soldier there was no available posi- more after being promoted to commander of week or so just being outside. Mum even made tion for her because she did not attend a mili- communication post, Sgt Markéta did a great us camouflage pants and top clothes so we tary school. However, she was offered to be a job mostly working with an engineer officers in could enjoy the nature at its best. And obvious-

12 Lithuanian Military Digest NATO's presence

ly I was really used to sleeping outside which was not a challenge for me after entering the armed forces," remembers Sgt Markéta. According to her, she has always been a social and easy-going person but since the very childhood would usually choose boys' company rather than girls'. "Often we would go build bunkers and play soldiers with fake rifles. And then there was my mum who wanted me to become a musician so I used to attend music clubs, played flute and piano. However, she wanted this kind of future for me, but I didn't. As a result, I used to hide my flute somewhere outside and instead of going to music class I went playing with my boys. Eventually, teacher called my mother regard- ing my absence as it used to happen quite often. Finally, mum decided it was worthless trying to make me a musician, let me quit the classes and I joined the scouts. You could Kalbac OF-2 credit: CZE PAO Photo guess I liked it way better!" had a lot of time to think about what I wanted WITH A BEST FRIEND BY HER SIDE Sgt Markéta: "I had a to do in the future. And that was when my best Sgt Markéta sought for knowledge in an lot of time to think friend came to me and just said that we should ecological environment but, as she claims, that about what I wanted try to join the armed forces if we fit. When I was not what her heart wanted. At the age of 21 was younger I used to dream about becoming a after finishing the studies she felt like not know- to do in the future. And that policeman, a fireman or a soldier because I was ing what to do anymore. "I just wanted to go to was when my best friend came always more like a boy. So, as you can see, I took some kind of work and earn my own money," to me and just said that we a chance with no doubts," tells Sgt Markéta. says Sgt Markéta who found a position in envi- Although friends now are not serving to- ronment field at a government institution but should try to join the armed gether as one of them went a military police's due to high competition did not succeed in get- forces if we fit. So, as you can path, it is still good to have someone in the ting the job. Finally, she managed to find a job see, I took a chance with no armed forces who understands and always sup- placement at the patrol station and started to doubts." ports. As Sergeant says, it was great to experi- work there. However, it did not last too long. "I ence boot camp with a person who has known her for a long time way before joining the armed forces. "During that period, most of the challenges were psychological ones because you can be physically strong enough but the mind-set is the other thing. Everything is in our heads. The boot camp took place in winter for three months from Monday to Friday with free weekends. I remember the hiking being so ex- hausting and sometimes we just felt like crying. However, in those moments we used to hold each other's hands and go forward together, also talk about how we are going to have a glass of wine in the weekend, do some shopping and other pleasant things. It really helped to have each other".

LOST IN PABRADĖ Sgt Markéta has always loved doing vari- ous sports thus back at home one can often see her riding horses, swimming, playing vol- leyball or snowboarding. While in Rukla, she

Photo credit: personal archive credit: personal Photo spent much time with her roommate as well Sgt Markéta as a kid at her family’s cottage where she spent lots of time walking in the surrounding as the other foreign soldiers. "For me it is in- forests and collecting mushrooms. She is wearing camouflage trousers made by her mother. teresting to speak with other soldiers with dif-

August 2019. No 8. 13 NATO's presence

one is like a pillow which I got from my little six-years-old sister and I sleep on it. The other is a handmade toy made by a group of women supporting soldiers in Afghanistan. When my boyfriend was there last year he brought two of these toys, I have this one and he has another," Sgt Markéta smiles. Telling about the experience during her deployment to Lithuania, Sergeant shares one of the funny moments she had here. One day, during the exercise in Pabradė, one of her col- leagues called her and said he is stuck with his car in a mud somewhere in the middle of the training area. "So, I went to help him. I was given some location coordinates and we were talking on the phone but it still was difficult to understand where he was exactly. Conse- quentially, I couldn't find him for a long time... I guess we met after around 5 hours or so. Meanwhile I was looking for him, he was just walking around trying to find me as well and he approached the area close to the minefields which were put there for the exercise. It was the Northern part, therefore it wasn't easy to get to him from the West or South, the only way was from the North. Then he went the East direc- tion but at that time I was already coming from the South so it was much of walking back and forth for him trying to find each other. When I finally came, it appeared that I did it from the wrong side of the road and I was able to reach him only from the direction that he just came," tells Sgt Markéta whose original task that day was to provide a supply support to the forest for her troops. "So, another funny part of this story is that a bunch of soldiers where left starv- ing just for this one guy! Of course, nobody got angry. The whole situation was so funny, I think now I know the entire Pabradė!" says Sergeant Markéta. She also adds that in her opinion this

Photo credit: KotrynaPhoto Gurevičiūtė type of mission is the best for those soldiers Sgt Markéta next to her truck Tatra 810 in Rukla, Lithuania. who are doing their first deployment. Accord- ing to her, a peace environment gives a possibil- ity to train without stress or fear. In addition to ferent backgrounds about their armed forces, improved English language and military skills, their countries and so on. Together we like to Sgt Markéta: "I guess Sergeant claims she learned how to get along play darts, pool, games, and go outside the bar- there are people who with so many different persons and how to racks to have some alcohol-free drinks. We've live with people who maybe she would never been in Kaunas and Vilnius a few times. I find think soldiers don't really choose to live with back at home. it a little bit similar to the Czech Republic and do anything much, just earn you can still see that some places suffered from good money. With this being LOVES TO SERVE FOR PEOPLE war," she says. "I had a hard time when conducting one of The past six months was the first time Sgt said, to be able to serve for the exercises a couple years ago back in Czech Markéta went on a mission and Lithuanian civilians and show and prove Republic. I had to walk 30 km with a machine landscape was not the only thing reminiscent what we are doing for them gun of 12 kg weight in my hands with a back- of missed home. She quickly disappears be- pack of 25 kg. For me it was really tough, at hind her barrack room's door and after a mo- I find as the best thing about some point I felt like not having power to go ment comes back with two toys in her hands. serving in the armed forces." further anymore. Those moments can be really "With me I brought here these — the bigger stressful sometimes.

14 Lithuanian Military Digest NATO's presence

Another challenge was when I tried to take part in a selection of reconnaissance unit which takes place twice a year. You almost don't get to sleep and eat and the physical test was not easy as well; for example, we had to do sit ups and pull ups as many as we could in two minutes. I did 152 squats. Then there was running of 5 km with full equipment. Overall, those 5 days in the forests were extremely exhausting for me. Eventually, I did not succeed but despite of that I gained great experience. Sometimes I was bet- ter than other soldiers but sometimes not, so I always knew where I had to improve myself," says Sgt Markéta. However, as one of the most difficult things in the armed forces Sgt Markéta describes not physical challenges but people. As she says, being always surrounded by so many differ- ent attitudes, mind-sets and social levels can be quite challenging as it is impossible to get along with everybody. "Sometimes I hear comments about me being a female soldier because there are people who believe that it is easier for females to be in the armed forces but I do not agree, everybody is equal," Sgt Markéta shares. Sergeant says that for her the best thing about being a soldier is that first of all she is serving for civilian people. However, accord- ing to her, sometimes people don't actually re- alise what an important work soldiers are do- ing for them, and it happens everywhere — at home or, for example, in Afghanistan: "From time to time I see some offending comments about military on social media or just hear them in real life. I remember once coming back from the exercise in Czech Republic; we made a break on the route with all our vehicles but left some space for other cars to pass. And there was this one older man — and I think that older generation should appreciate the work of soldiers even more — came out of his car and started shouting at us offending words. So, I guess there are people who think soldiers don't really do anything much, just earn good money. With this being said, to be able to serve for civilians and show and prove what we are doing for them I find as the best thing about serving in the armed forces. And, of course, let’s not forget that not so many people can say that their work is to go hiking, exercise with a weapon, go swimming or just go to the gym during working hours. So, at the end of the day, despite all the challenges and difficulties, I always know I chose the right path. And that's what my family always say: that I'm living my

dream." Photo credits: personal archive personal credits: Photo Kotryna Gurevičiūtė

August 2019. No 8. 15 The discount is applicable only upon presentation of a service National Defence System employees card. (soldiers, civil servants and employees Conditions and applicable discounts may change. working under an employment contract) There are additional conditions. * Expositions are free of charge to the Lithuanian Military Academy Soldiers of the Permanent Mandatory (LMA)** cadets, Permanent Mandatory Initial Military Service (PMIMS) Initial Military Service soldiers serving in the LMA, and soldiers from the Gediminas Headquar- ters Battalion (GHB). Coordinate with the regional Conscription and recruiting service de- Members of the Lithuanian partment.*** Riflemen’s Union Due to a match of the football club "Atlantas" coordinate with the Grand Duke**** Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion's S5 division of the Motorized Infantry Bri- Lithuanian soldiers gade "Samogitia". Due to a match of the basketball club "Neptūnas" coordinate with the National Defence Volunteer Force’s S5 division of the Samogitia district 3rd team. Due to a match of the football club "Sūduva" coordinate with the Lithu- Soldiers of the National Defence Volun- anian Grand Duke Vytenis General Support Logistics Battalion’s S5 division. teer Forces ***** The discount is applicable to persons who serve or have served in the Lithuanian Armed Forces, also to those who are in the prepared personnel NATO soldiers reserve of the Lithuanian Armed Forces (for the entire study period both for the first and second cycle studies). The discount is applicable on February 16, March 11, July 6, and Negotiation issues November****** 23.

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August 2019. No 8. 17 Special

1918-1920 TO DEFEND STATEHOOD On February 16, 1918 the Council of Lithu- ania proclaimed the restoration of independence. Between April and October of 1918, 41 officers enrolled in the Council of Lithuania, express- ing their wish to serve in the future Lithuanian Armed Forces. However, during the restoration of the state, there were opinions that Lithuania did not need an armed forces, because Lithuanian did not intend to attack anyone. In addition, under the ceasefire agreement, Germany was committed to maintaining its troops in the Baltic countries for some more time. The Germans had to defend this territory from the bolsheviks, who not only intended to reclaim all the territories of the for- mer Russian Empire, but also to push further to Europe under the pretext of the global revolu- tion. The Germans, being pushed by the bolshe- viks, began to retreat. The Republic of Lithuania, which just declared independence, was in grave danger of loosing it again. The formation of the armed forces was ur- gently begun. November 23, 1918 marks the be- ginning of armed forces rebuilding. On this day in 1918 Prime Minister Augustinas Voldemaras signed Order No.1, which established the Na- tional Defence Council and ordered the forma- tion of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Regiment. On December 23, 1918 the Vilnius Comman- dant Office was established, and five days later LITHUANIAN ARMED troops of the Red Army invaded the country and were at the line of Adutiškis — Švenčionėliai — Zarasai. FORCES IN THE On December 29 the proclamation "Lithu- ania in Danger!" was issued, inviting to join the Lithuanian national defence platoons on a volun- : tary basis. It was a period of anxiety and unknown. For example, at that time, there were active recruit- DEVELOPMENT AND ment to four military organizations in Vilnius: the bolshevik Red Army, the Polish Lithuanian- Byelorussian division, the German freichor and PRESTIGE the Lithuanian national defence. The conditions were extremely difficult, but nationally-minded understood the danger to their WORLD WAR I (OR THE GREAT WAR) WAS A RUTHLESS CONFLICT. IT young state and the number of soldiers began to TOOK INCREDIBLY MANY LIVES AND COMPLETELY MESSED UP THE increase. EUROPEAN POLITICAL MAP. LITHUANIA WAS SLIGHTLY LESS AFFECTED BY While the bolsheviks, even before they had DIRECT HOSTILITIES, BUT THE COUNTRY WAS VERY TIRED OF GERMAN encountered Lithuanian troops, had already REQUISITIONS AND ARBITRARINESS. HOWEVER, AT THE END OF THE WAR, called them the White Guard, Polish chauvin- ists, in the early days of the registration of Lithu- LITHUANIA’S HISTORIC OPPONENTS WEAKENED, AND THE LITHUANIAN anian volunteers, "looked with hate over Neris NATION FLASHED ITS HOPES OF RESTORING THE STATEHOOD THAT HAD to our barracks and pointed each other at that" BEEN LOST MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO. chamskiego wojska" (twerp troops). (Memoirs of Lt Gen Grigaliūnas-Glovackis, creator of the 1st Infantry Regiment). The then press of Vilnius

18 Lithuanian Military Digest Special

The first National Defence Volunteers had to face ful not to the Conference of Ambassadors and deprivation which we could hardly imagine. "Dry bread, the League of Nations but to your brave armed black coffee, regular pea soup, torn shoes and worn out clothes were exhausting" (J. Lanskoronskis, Commander forces." of the National Defence Volunteers Battalion) 1921-1925 but also by preventing bermontians from arbi- TOWARDS MODERN STATE trarying, and by resisting the invasion of Polish After the political situation stabilized, it was legions, despite losses and casualties. In 1926 it planned to reorganize the armed forces, although was estimated that 2,611 soldiers were killed and the de jure martial law was still not cancelled. Un- died due to wounds or epidemics, and 1,175 were til then the Lithuanian Armed Forces consisted of injured during the period of Lithuanian Wars of 13 infantries, 3 cavalries, 4 artillery regiments, 3 Independence. artillery divisions, 7 separate infantry battalions, Thanks to the political will of the Coun- Military Aviation Division, Armoured Vehicles cil of Lithuania and the self-determination of Combat Team, Engineering Battalion, Commu- volunteers, what had until then been regarded nications, Railway and Vehicle Battalions, Bor- as mere fantasies became a reality: the newly der Guard units. In 1922-1924 the border guard established armed forces formed, trained and was handed over to the police and the number of fought simultaneously and both defended units was reduced. 9 infantry regiments, 4 artiller- and consolidated its statehood in 1918–1920. ies and 2 cavalry regiments remained in the army. 1,375 soldiers were awarded the highest mili- It was more focused on the French model of tary award of that time — the Cross of Vytis. warfare. More than 10 officers were sent each So, it was not for nothing that the Chairman year to study in the military schools of France, of Peace Delegation of the League of Nations in Belgium or Czechoslovakia. New statutes were 1920 told the Lithuanian delegation: "For the started to be prepared. The Military School in op- independence of your nation, you must be grate- eration since 1919 was not enough, and in 1921

The armed forces of the Lithuanian Wars of was mocking: "Who wants to serve in the armed Independence was being formed on a voluntary basis. forces without pay, food, apartment, weapon, and without any other supplies, may sign up at the People of various ages, differenet social groups and Lithuanian State Council, Jurgis ave. 13." (The religions chose to defend Lithuanian statehood. There was magazine "Lunnyj Žitelj") The Germans also even one Buddhist among the defenders of independence, as played smart games: after selling the weapons themselves to the Lithuanians they immediately evidenced by the list of volunteers from the Grodno regiment. used to disarm them on the way, detaining them. Until then not many Lithuanians imagined their own soldier — all the uniformed and armed people associated him with a foreign occupying power that promised no good. There is a number of historical testimonies telling what an emotion- al contrast was experienced by the people who saw the Lithuanian troops for the first time, how fear was replaced by joy: greetings, tears of excite- ment, even attempts to touch, and the hopeful sigh "we finally have them..." of old people who still remembered the rebellion of 1863. This moral factor contributed signifi- cantly to the success of the Lithu- anian Armed Forces in manag- ing organizational difficulties and combat tasks not only by removing the Red Army from Lithuanian territory,

Medal to commemorate the There were also strange occurrences during the Lithuanian Wars of Independence. uprising of Klaipėda. 1923 The trophy of Lithuanian soldiers was a camel taken away from the bolsheviks.

August 2019. No 8. 19 Special

rated from the national one, it is a continuation of it." (Lt Col J. Lanskoronskis) The educational activities covered a wide range: from primary education to low-level soldiers (units for soldiers’ education and training under the Military Sci- ence Board were responsible) to the academic Society of Military Sciences established in 1923. Military press started to thrive. In addition to the "Karys" (the first title was "Kariškių žodis"), which was launched in 1919, "Mūsų žinynas" was also launched (since 1921) as well as the "Karo archyvas" and "Kardas" (since 1925), a number of general and specialized publications on warfare also appeared. Historical memory and respect for the armed forces was honoured immediately after Lithu- anian Wars of Independence. On February 16, 1921 under the concern of the Ministry of Na- tional Defense, a War Museum was established in the Provisional Capital. It became a true pantheon of unity between the nation and the armed forces. During the first seven months, it was visited by Cadets at Military School. 1931 about 90,000 Lithuanian and foreign citizens. Weapon and patriotism helped to solve the issue of Klaipėda region, which was delayed by the French administration. Lithuanians of this The Lithuanian Military Aviation Day is considered to region, supported by the armed volunteers from Lithuania, rebelled in 1923 and captured it on be March 12, 1919, when the Aviation Company was January 15. The next day the international com- separated from the Electronic Battalion and named as munity recognized Klaipėda region for Lithuania. Aviation Division by order of the Chief of Aviation Division. The Republic grew by two thousand square kilo- However, the first combat flight took place earlier — on metres, adding about 141 thousand population. March 3: war pilot Fricas Šulcas and air reconnaissance officer Konstantas Fugalevičius flew from Kaunas to Vilnius and back 1926-1934 A DECADE OF CHANGES AND by the LVG C VI plane. The flight was successful: the necessary CONTRASTS objects were photographed in Vilnius and Kaišiadorys, about Armed forces were ready for changes. In 25 kg of Lithuanian declarations were thrown. peacetime, it was too large, and in the event of a possible future conflict, the structure and arma- the Higher Military Courses were established, and from 1924 the Military Technical Courses started to operate as well. Military speciality sol- diers trained in their units after 5 months of basic military training. There were also other special- ized military training institutes, such as the Avia- tion School, which trained military pilots and air reconnaissance. Much attention was paid to the physical train- ing of soldiers. In 1924 the Armed Forces Sports Society was established and a four-month Physi- cal Training course was launched alongside the High Officers Course, where physical education teachers of the armed forces were trained. The Armed Forces became not only a national defence institution but also one of the key sour- ces of education and public spirit. Following the Much attention was devoted honouring the Lithuanian Wars of principle: "Military education cannot be sepa- Independence. Ceremony in the courtyard of the War Museum.

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ment were too old and insufficiently mobile. In the autumn of 1925, the Seimas determined the size of the troops of the peacetime in a hurry, re- ducing the number of soldiers’ posts, three more regiments were disbanded, and the length of ser- vice of the troops was doubled down. Not very planned innovations caused general dissatisfac- tion, the summons to the armed forces were not that successful. There were also other reasons for the trans- formation. On July 2, 1926 for the first time since the proclamation of independence, martial law was cancelled in Lithuania, except the one- kilometre-wide area near demarcation line with Poland. This order was valid until December 18, 1926 when the Cabinet formed after the coup re- stored martial law. The real effort to clearly indicate a vision for the future armed forces should first be attributed During the inter-war period Lithuania could really be proud of its Air Force. The second from the right is A. Gustaitis, the Commander of Military Aviation, constructor. to Kazys Škirpa, the first Lithuanian volunteer, who became head of the Lithuanian Chief Staff almost immediately after studying at the Royal der these conditions. At that time, the develop- weaponry has been used in many other events Belgian Military Academy. After analyzing the ment of patriotism among soldiers and the image due to its dynamism and imagery. situation, K. Škirpa listed the detailed shortcom- of powerful armed forces was more important. However, this way of developing the armed ings of the armed forces. According to him, the Trends in the military events of that period indi- forces did not go too badly: the armed forces, lack of resources needed for war, the lack of com- cate that they were fully in line with the set guide- which until then was sort of a closed caste, gained patibility with country’s economy and the proper lines. An exceptional attention was paid to image a deeper emotional connection with the society. mobilization plan would render the resistance in- in 1928 at the 10th anniversary of the Indepen- There was also a bit more complicated rela- effective. The ideal is to arrange the defence sys- dence of Lithuania and Lithuanian Armed Forc- tionship. The relationship between the military tem so that the troops are not immediately caught es. Grand parades and commemorations took and the political elite was sometimes contradic- up, but are able to organize braking units, and in place. On January 28 it was pilot Vladas Morkus tory. Antanas Smetona and his environment the meantime (3-4 days) are able to mobilize up who made the first pilot jump in Lithuania with should have been grateful to the military for to four, with funds, six divisions. For this purpose, Italian parachute "Salvator". Aviation as modern becoming head of state; A. Smetona himself be- K. Škirpa envisaged a slight change in the lieved that officers were the basis of the structure of the armed forces: reduction future new national aristocracy. Those of the administrative apparatus, separa- On the occasion of the Armed who chose the officer’s path were giv- tion of economic and combat functions Forces Day in 1928 the first en the best possible conditions. Until in the units, and replacement of their Lithuanian full-length feature 1932 there was no higher military edu- locations. These plans were approved at cation institution in Lithuania, there- the highest political level. film "Soldier – Defender of Lithuania" fore, under the initiative of Gen Petras Unfortunately, after the coup of premiered. Movie script is didactic: Kubiliūnas, Division of General Staff December 1926, K. Škirpa decided to the protagonist, the loser village boy, having the status of a higher education resign. He was appointed to run a posi- institution was established in Kaunas tion of military attaché in Germany. The is called to service in the armed forces, along with the higher officers courses new head of Chief Staff, Teodoras Dau- where he becomes a disciplined and of Vytautas the Great (the Grand Duke kantas, was, let’s say, the old-fashioned skilfull man. About 200 professional of Lithuania) which only had the sta- thinking officer who served in the tsar- tus of a higher school. Each year, 25-30 ist army, whose work was actually per- actors and statisticians played in the students were accepted at the school formed by Povilas Plechavičius, who film. Unfortunately, after a single and the education lasted 2,5 years. replaced T. Daukantas after a few years. showing, the film was no longer shown They were taught war strategy, tactics, Not only people were changing, but organization, military techniques, war also the structure of the armed forces: because the customers were not happy history and law, and general education. at the beginning of 1928 the position with it: in the opinion of the evaluators, The professors of Vytautas Magnus Uni- of the Chief of Defence did not exist the educational function of the armed versity taught at the school. Most of the anymore. This was the job of the head graduates became leading figures of the of Chief Staff. forces was not sufficiently emphasized. Lithuanian Armed Forces — generals, It goes without saying that it is diffi- Unfortunately, the film has not survived employees of the General Staff, military cult to talk about a profound functional and cannot be evaluated today. attaché in Lithuanian embassies abroad, transformation of the armed forces un- specialists of infantry, artillery and other

August 2019. No 8. 21 Special

plicates both logistics and the training of troops. Modernizing the armament, modern armament examples of that time were purchased: the armed forces received the Brno machine guns, Oerlikon light autocannons, anti-aircraft lights. 21 units of the Czech light tanks LT-40 and 150 German 20 mm cannons Flak were ordered, but they were no longer available. Armament was not only purchased abroad. The local defence industry was also being devel- oped. The armaments manufacturing complex was established in Linkaičiai, which was no worse and in some respects even better than some analogous foreign companies. Lithuania had a large and modern Air Force — three squadrons were deployed in Šiauliai. The 3rd and 4th light bomber squadrons belonged to the 3rd group of the bomber squadron, which was headquartered in Šiauliai, and five reconnaissance fighter squad- rons belonged to the 1st fighter squadron, their headquarters were in Kaunas. parts of the armed forces. It didn’t take long to Most of the planes were designed by Lithu- get good results. In 1921, 54.75 %, in anian military aviation commander Antanas Gus- On the other hand, A. Smetona was quite 1922 — 42.66%, in taitis. Since 1934, the modern and well-armed afraid of senior and more experienced officers. 1930 — 17.50%, in ANBO-IV aircraft replaced all obsolete air force About 1929 began the process of reducing the reconnaissance aircraft. The last aircraft of the influence of the December coup’s organizers 1938 — 25.95%, in 1939 — ANBO series is the light bomber ANBO-VIII, ca- or even their discharge. They were replaced by 24.23% of total public funds pable of carrying up to 600 kg of bombs, reaching younger, more loyal officers. Probably, A. Sme- was allocated to the military. the 9000 metres altitude, and developing the 400 tona, who was called the leader of the nation, felt km/h speed. that quite radical army, which brought him to To compare, the current 2% Military training was also taken care of. New power, can also take away that power. This was a of gross domestic product, advanced regulations and statutes were prepared reasoned concern — in June 1934 a group of of- which should be spent on and published. More attention was started to be ficers under the command of the head of Chief paid to practical activities and outdoor training. Staff P. Kubiliūnas, attempted another coup. This defence, represents about In case of war, mobilization resources and time they did not succeed. 12% of public funds. their management play a crucial role. Following The international events — the global eco- the announcement of the global mobilization, nomic crisis (The Great Depression) and German it was planned to increase the armed forces to economic sanctions on Lithuania also did not Guards Team, the Cavalry Artillery Group 150,000 troops within 72 hours — 19 infantry benefit the development of the armed forces. All were formed, and the Navy was established. regiments and 12 border guard battalions. this also affected the development of the armed More attention was started to be paid to arm- The capabilities had to be also increased by ri- forces. The real changes did not start until the end ing. On August 23, 1935 the Lithuanian Armed flemen, whose organization was also restructured of 1934, when the situation became more stable Forces Volunteer Union established an Arms and more closely linked to military plans. and Stasys Raštikis became the Chief of Defence. Fund, a public organization operating under the After assessing the capabilities, it was under- State Defence Council, to whose account Lithu- stood that military resistance must be supported anian citizens, companies, organizations, and by the public, therefore considerable resources 1935-1940 educational institutions could contribute money. were allocated to image and representation. THE PERIOD OF TARGETED Weapons purchased with the money donated by Celebrations of the rapprochement of the REFORMS the public were stamped with Columns of Gedi- armed forces and society were started to be orga- The feeling of war and the growing totalitari- minas and the inscription "Arms Fund". nized. On April 23, 1937 an Officers’ Club Build- anism encouraged the European countries to arm Initially, donations were not very willing, but ing emerged in Kaunas, reflecting the patriotic themselves faster. Lithuania could not stay away. in 1938, after the Polish ultimatum to Lithuania, tendencies prevailing at the time and the big am- The last five years of the inter-war Lithuanian the sum of donations jumped over 2.4 million bitions of the state. Officers’ Club housed the -ad Armed Forces can be seen as a period of rapid litas (EUR 712706.79). In total, during the five ministration, the restaurant "Three Giants", it had and effective reforms. years of existence of the fund, more than 6 mil- a Great Hall with open galleries-lodges, a Small The first step was to increase capacities. The lion litas were donated. Hall of gothic style, Vytautas the Great Hall, the Third and Sixth Infantry Regiments, the First It has been stated that many of the weapons President’s Room, and winter garden–orangery. Artillery and the Third Dragoon Iron Wolf and ammunition existing in the armed forces for On the third floor, there was an officer’s club, a Regiment were rebuilt, the Anti-Airborne a long time are outdated, and their variety com- mess hall, a reading room, and rooms of billiard,

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playing cards and chess. There was a hotel on the The President reviewing troops’ fourth floor and both shooting range and gym in formation. Around 1936 the basement. Not only military events but also celebrations of special occasions, press presenta- tions and banquets of the diplomatic corps were held in the palace. The academic field was developed: the stu- dents were taught the course of state military training introducing them the structure of the state, the basics of its defence policy, and the prin- ciples of modern military doctrines. The book of Maj Vytautas Bulvičius "Military Preparation of the State" was based on the lectures of this course and it is still useful these days. Polish and German defense plans "L" and "V" were prepared in 1938. Until then, the was not considered a potential enemy. At the end of September 1939, practically im- mediately after the Polish capitulation, the plan "R" was created on the basis of the obsolete plan "L". The main purpose of this plan was to defend Kaunas in case the Provisional Capital would be threatened by Red Army crews stationed in that the Red Army could begin an invasion to sisted of 3 infantry divisions (9 regiments), 3 Lithuania. Lithuania. Plan "R" was then modified to include cavalries, 4 artillery regiments, military aviation, By the spring of 1940, the authorities of the more extensive combat action. 1 communication and 2 engineering battalions, Lithuanian Armed Forces already had realized In 1940 the Lithuanian Armed Forces con- combat teams of anti-aircraft protection, vehicles

Although there was a lack of the political will to defend itself in 1940 and the armed forces were forbidden from armed defence of the country, most officers remained loyal to the ideals of independence and did not give up even though symbolically. For example, on June 15, 1940 the military authorities of the occupiers demanded that the crew of the warship "Prezidentas Smetona" would be subordinate to it and raise a red flag. Ship’s Commander Lt Cpt Povilas Labanauskas, with other officers, disobeyed the order, lowered the flag of the Lithuanian Navy and at night sailed from Šventoji with a yacht to Klaipėdas which was annexed by the Germans without officially handing over the ship to the Soviets.

The crew of the warship "Prezidentas Smetona" and armoured vehicles, Navy (1 mine hunter). It disobeyed the Soviets’ demand to go over to can be said that based on the lessons learned from their side. the Polish intelligence report in 1939, the armed forces would have been able to carry out exten- sive stopping operations, in particular using natu- ral covers and obstacles for defence with with the support of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union and organize resistance in the rear of the enemy. On June 15, 1940, after the Soviet occupation began, authorities of the armed forces ordered to burn the documentation in all the headquarters. Due to lack of political will, plan "R" was not used. However, the values and skills developed by the armed forces were useful later — during the coup of June 1941 and post-war resistance.

Darius Sutkus

Photo credits: VDKM, Archyvai.lt, ve.lt, kam.lt, pinterest.

August 2019. No 8. 23 Photo credit: Srg. Sp. Ieva Budzeikaitė Ieva Sp. credit: Srg. Photo

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