FEBRUARY 2021. NO 2 (33).

NATO'S PRESENCE THE NORTHERN STARS: TELEMARK BATTALION IN LITHUANIA

IN SHORT Change of eFP Battalion WAR FOR FREEDOM OF LITHUANIA: battle Group command THE DECLARATION OF FEBRUARY 16, 1949 n February 10 the change of com- continue working on improving service con- mand ceremony of the NATO en- ditions, infrastructure and Host Nation Sup- hanced Forward Presence Battal- port provided to the NATO eFP battalion and Oion Battle Group (eFP BG) in Lithuania took other allies here in Lithuania," the Minister place at Rukla. The incoming eFP BG Lithua- said. nia Commander Lt Col Sebastian Hebisch "8 of 10 Lithuanian residents approve of al- from the 93rd Panzer Battalion of the Ger- lied troop presence on the territory of Lithua- man Armed Forces took over the duties from nia and think that the multinational NATO the outgoing LT Col Peer Papenbroock. The battalion constitutes a deterrence to hostile high-readiness multinational eFP BG capabi- states. We need to invest in our defence the lity of the Alliance was deployed in Lithuania same way we invest in fences around our four years ago as a collective and weighty con- houses, to protect us from threats or just for SPECIAL tribution of NATO allies to the enhancement the sake of it — because we need it to feel safe of security of the Baltic region. and take care of our backyard calmly. NATO CHALLENGES POSED BY Minister of National Defence of Lithuania allied presence in our country and the region RUSSIA FOR LITHUANIAN Arvydas Anušauskas thanked NATO allies is a clear and unambiguous message to the for their contributions to the NATO eFP BG threat keeping watch on the other side of the MILITARY SECURITY AND Lithuania and at the same time — to the secu- fence, it has tried to take advantage of our gul- THEIR PROSPECTS rity and efforts to strengthen not only Lithua- libility, or weakness, or sometimes blindness nia and the region but the whole Alliance. at various points of history already. We have to "Commanders of the NATO enhanced For- do everything possible to prevent it from hap- ward Presence Battalion Battle Group have pening again," Chief of Defence of Lithuania the honourable privilege and responsibility Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupšys said. to lead the key unit of NATO’s continuous After his second tour of duty as the NATO presence in Lithuania. Let me assure you that eFP BG Lithuania Commander Lt Col Peer we will keep up the mutual work of ensuring Papenbroock stressed that the mission of the stability and security in the Baltic region. I NATO enhanced Forward Presence had been would like to assure as well that Lithuania will See page 3 Close Baltic cooperation Content NEWS CHANGE OF EFP BATTALION BATTLE GROUP COMMAND...... 1,3

CLOSE BALTIC COOPERATION...... 2

NATO'S PRESENCE THE NORTHERN STARS: TELEMARK BATTALION IN n February 8 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas had a distance meeting with his Baltic coun- LITHUANIA...... 4 terparts, Minister of Defence of Latvia Artis Pabriks and OMinister of Defence of Estonia Kalle Laanet: Baltic Security and Defence Cooperation Presidency 2021 was rotated from Latvia to Lithuania and Lithuania’s priorities in the area were presented at the IN SHORT meeting. WAR FOR FREEDOM OF The Baltic Ministries of Defence will continue and foster a close coordination and cooperation on defence policy between the count- LITHUANIA: ries. "The trilateral Baltic cooperation is visible in such, larger for- THE DECLARATION OF mats as NATO, EU, cooperation with the U.S. Only when we speak in one voice can we achieve better and more favourable results, en- FEBRUARY 16, 1949...... 10 sure effective deterrence, and support , both mutual and from our allies," said Minister A. Anušauskas. Minister stressed that Lithuania would focus on strengthening SPECIAL capabilities, particularly, regional air defence, maritime situational CHALLENGES POSED BY awareness, and of the Special Operations Forces, in order to ensure a strong continued deterrence and enhanced defence. RUSSIA FOR LITHUANIAN The Baltic Defence Ministers underscored the importance of co- MILITARY SECURITY AND THEIR operation with the new Administration of the United States and co- ordinated national positions ahead of the upcoming NATO Defence PROSPECTS...... 16 Ministerial due later this month. Areas of the most intense Baltic defence cooperation are joint officer training at the Baltic Defence College, NATO Air Policing, naval forces, joint exercises. The countries also synchronise capabi- lity planning, coordinate joint procurement, organise joint training events, exercises, seminars, and carry out cooperation of individual Military Press Office of Lithuanian Armed Forces armed services. Totorių str. 25, LT-01121, Vilnius; Phone (370 5) 210 3897, GSM (370 6) 86 94458; fax (370 5) 273 5550; Ministers of Defence, Chiefs of Defence, and Chiefs of Defence Email [email protected] Staffs of the Baltic states meet on a biannual basis, Defence Policy Publisher — Lithuanian Armed Forces. The opinion of editorial office does not necessarily coin- Directors, Commanders of the Land Forces, Navies, Air Forces, Spe- cide with the opinion of the authors. Pictures, manuscripts are not returned and reviewed. Cir- cial Operations Forces, and experts of different levels meet regularly culation is 300 copies. Printed by the Cartography Center of Lithuanian Military, Muitinės str.4, Domeikava, LT-54359 Kaunas dist. Order GL-431. as well. The Baltic Defence Cooperation is chaired by Lithuania in 2021, in 2022 the presidency will rotate to Estonia, and in 2023 — to Lat- via. MoD information and photo credit

2 Lithuanian Military Digest News

Change of eFP Battalion battle Group command

From page 1 Force Exercises Iron Wolf I and II. Even though nia. The military personnel have established ex- clear and persistent since its beginning in Febru- the situation was complicated by the pandemic, cellent relations with Lithuanian colleagues, lo- ary 2017. According to him, together with the the Battle Group and an additional reinforcement cal communities, schools, municipalities; they Lithuanian forces the eFP demonstrates NATO's of the BG deployed by Germany trained in Ex- take part actively in a variety of cultural and so- determination, solidarity and unity in the ercise Iron Wolf II last autumn. Land element of cial campaigns and celebrate together with us mission to defend and protect the people of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force historical and national dates of Lithuania. Lithuania from a potential aggression, and they (VJTF), under the command of the Polish con- Framework nation Germany also has the stand ready to respond at any moment if that is tingent, was integrated into its command struc- largest contingent of military personnel in the necessary. ture for Exercise Brilliant Jump for the first time. NATO eFP BG Lithuania. The country demon- The new NATO eFP BG rotation includes That has doubtlessly strengthened the interoper- strates leadership not only by sending to Lithuania approx. 1,200 military personnel from Bel- ability of the Battle Group, other allied capabili- its excellent officers but also by completing train- gium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Iceland, ties, and the Lithuanian Forces, and their readi- ing area modernisation projects and investing into Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Norway. ness to be effective in a crisis. Over 12 thousand military training infrastructure in Lithuania. *** allied soldiers from nine NATO allies — Germa- Deployment of the NATO enhanced For- The eFP BG has been deployed in Lithuania ny, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech ward Presence Battalion Battle Groups in the since early 2017. It is now integrated into the Republic, Iceland, Luxembourg, Croatia and Baltic states and Poland was a decision taken Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf. The Bat- France — have already rotated through the eFP by the NATO Heads of State and Government tle Group is training with Lithuanian, U.S. heavy to train with the Lithuanian Armed Forces. in July 2016 at the Summit in Warsaw. battalion in Lithuania, NATO Air Policing Mis- The NATO unit has not only settled in but MoD information sion colleagues, takes part in major national Land also naturalised over the four years in Lithua- Photo credits: Sgt 1st Class Arnas Čemerka NATO names location for new military space center he French city of Toulouse is to and capabilities, and testing and validating con- establish the space command in Toulouse, so be NATO’s new center for excel- cepts through experimentation. we already have military personnel in situ. The lence in military space. The decision NATO said the centers "offer recognized ex- choice made by NATO was logical, but we wel- wasT taken by NATO on Jan. 28 but was official- pertise and experience that is of benefit to the come it." ly announced Feb. 4. Alliance ... while avoiding the duplication of as- Françoise Dumas, president of the Na- Germany had also lobbied to host the cen- sets, resources and capabilities already present tional Assembly’s Defense Commission, said ter, which will be set up at the CST (Centre with the Alliance." in a statement: "We are extremely pleased that Spatial de Toulouse), which is also to be the France already hosts one such center: the NATO has recognized France’s excellence in the headquarters of France’s Military Space Com- Center for Analysis and Simulation of Air Ope- space domain, in particular in the region of Tou- mand, on the site of France’s national space rations located on the Air Force base of Lyon- louse. This is extremely good news for the city studies center known as CNES. Mont Verdun. of Toulouse, the Occitanie region and the whole The new center will be NATO’s 27th center Hervé Grandjean, a spokesman for the of the space ecosystem which is implanted there of excellence. These are military organizations French Armed Forces Ministry, said in a radio and constitutes a European reference." that train and educate leaders and specialists interview that "Toulouse is the beating heart of The first of 42 experts, of whom 25 will be from NATO member and partner countries. the space industry and research in France with French, are expected to arrive this summer, the They assist in developing doctrines, identify- the CNES, Airbus, Thales. ...The minister of the remainder being in place by 2025. ing lessons learned, improving interoperability armed forces, Florence Parly, had decided to www.defensenews.com

February 2021. No 2. 3 NATO's presence The Northern Stars: Telemark Battalion in Lithuania NORWAY’S ARMED FORCES HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE NATO ENHANCED FORWARD PRESENCE BATTLE GROUP LITHUANIA (NATO eFP BG LTU) OPERATION SINCE 2017. TROOPS FROM TELEMARK BATTALION TOOK PART IN THE 8TH eFP ROTATION AND MARKED THEIR SERVICE WITH A FEW BRIGHT VICTORIES IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS IN LITHUANIA AND LATVIA.

4 Lithuanian Military Digest NATO's presence

MODERN VIKINGS of the Norwegian 4th Battle Company of the th8 the best capable and highly motivated soldiers ctually, soldiers and officers from NATO eFP BG rotation. to continue their service as full time professio- other nations, serving in NATO According to him, the Norwegian contin- nals. For most of the soldiers in the Norwegian eFP BG LTU, quite often call their gent of the 8th rotation is a company, consisting 4th Battle Company of the 8 th rotation, it’s the ANorwegian comrades "our Vikings". "Yes they of two maneuver platoons, one Combat Sup- first time in Lithuania. However a handful of us tend to do that, and I think the other nations port platoon, fire-observers and Military Po- also served here in the first eFP rotation back do this more often that we do ourselves. It sure lice, with a combination of Main Battle Tanks in 2017, — Capt Einar says. — Our home doesn’t bother us, the Vikings were great war- and mechanized infantry on Leopard 2A4s unit, TF Telemark Battalion, is a high readi- riors in their time, and I think all Norwegians and CV90s as their main combat platforms. ness Task Force, consisting of only full time both respect and cherish our cultural heritage "All personnel in Task Force (TF) Telemark professionals. We are able to conduct all types to a certain extent," says Capt (OF-2) Einar, Se- Battalion have to go through a selection before of military operations up to and including high nior National Representative and Commander they are hired. That way we are able to choose intensity combined arms operations, in a joint, multinational and interagency environment. Our history dates back to Tunsbergske regi- ment in 1628, and our coat of arms is a long- ship from the Viking age". The Telemark Battalion is a mechanised infantry unit of the Norwegian Army. It was established in 1993, and is a part of Brigade Nord and stationed at Rena, Hedmark. The bat- talion consists of five companies/squadrons.

THE BEST MOMENTS IN LITHUANIA Capt Einar, Senior National Representative and Commander of the Norwegian 4th Battle Company of the 8th NATO eFP BG rotation, agreed to give more comments on the Norwe- gians mission in Lithuania:

What is an image of the NATO eFP mis- sion in your battalion? Does your service here differ a lot from your tasks at home? What are the biggest advantages for your soldiers to participate in the mission like this? There are many similarities in regard of every- day tasks and training. However, in this mis- sion we have the opportunity to train together and cooperate with our multinational part- ners, in complex operations. This enables us to share experiences between nations thus mak- ing us better soldiers, more capable units and a strong Battle Group all together.

What are your main activities in Lithua- nia? Do you have enough training possi- bilities here? It is to train multinational combined arms operations on all levels, with our partners, insuring interoperability and cohesion within the Battle Group, herby contributing to the credibility of eFP. I’m satisfied with both the possibilities and the training grounds here in Lithuania.

What were the most remarkable exerci- ses or training events in Lithuania? In my opinion it was IRON WOLF II because

February 2021. No 2. 5 NATO's presence

The Norwegian tank Leopard 2A4 in the IRON SPARE 2020 competition in Latvia. it gave us the possibility to work together as a Would you like to return here one more VICTORIES IN FOREST AND TANK complete Battle Group against a dynamic and time for the same mission? RANGE capable enemy. This gave us the best possible TF Telemark Battalion will most likely return During their mission in Lithuania the Nor- framework for both testing the system and to serve in Lithuania in the future, but perso- wegians also participated in two international learning from each other. nally as this being my second tour here, the competitions: IRON SPEAR 2020 in Latvia, possibilities are limited. both in the Main Battle Tank and the Infantry What were the main challenges and the Fighting Vehicle categories, and in the Best best moments for you and your team here What will you tell about the Lithuania Squad Competition of the Land Forces of the in Lithuania? to your friends and family, when return Lithuanian Army. One of the best moments from my perspective, home? The Best Squad Competition was organized is the fact that we were able to conduct a comp- Probably enlighten them with a little bit of by the Lithuanian Land Forces in order to se- lex multinational, company sized, combined Lithuanian history and generally about the lect the best ones and the Norwegian Squad arms live fire exercise with our Dutch partners, contingent. And how have been my experience took the 1st place among the foreign teams. just 4 weeks after arrival in Lithuania. And with both the mission and the Armed Forces "This competition surpassed your expecta- looking back, we could definitely have done of Lithuania. Sadly due to Covid measures tions and it was professionally driven. We felt the same type of training even sooner. This just we have not been able to experience much of welcomed and have good memories from this enhances the fact that we are able to cooperate Lithuania’s rich culture, but I remember that week," after competition said Sergeant (OR-5) with each other despite different nationalities. from my last deployment here. Ole Petter, leader of the Norwegian team. He mentioned the obstacle course in the forest was difficult and the water-crossing hurdles as well. "Team-work was really important and we have a strong team, been together for a long time and that played to our advantage", said Ole Petter. Another bright victory was achieved in Lat- via: On October 13–16 NATO eFP BG of Lat- via hosted IRON SPEAR 2020 multinational exercise in Camp Adazi, where all allies from NATO eFP Battle Groups across the Baltic re- gion and Poland participated. Teams from 12 nations took place in total, in day and night do- ing fire and movement sequences. NATO eFP BG Lithuania took part in this competition with French Leclerc, German and Norwegian Leopard 2 main battle tanks as well as Dutch and Norwegian CV-90 infantry fight- ing vehicles. Norwegian teams took first place in both categories of the Main Battle Tanks (MBT) and the Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV). When I asked the Norwegian Company A Norwegian soldier in a shooting range during the Best Squad Competition in Lithuania. commander, what was the secret of their triple

6 Lithuanian Military Digest NATO's presence

success, Capt Einar assured, that there are no any secrets: "Well, it’s like the saying "how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice!" I’m sorry to tell you that there are no secrets and no short- cuts. It’s all about the hard training and commit- ment of each and every soldier. In addition to training battle drills and shooting skills, we also focus on understanding the complete combat platform of our Main Battle Tanks and Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Understanding both its pos- sibilities and limitations, enables the soldiers to utilize their combat vehicles in all situations".

THE WINNERS Two members of the golden teams — Leoprad 2A4 driver OR-2 Henrik and CV-90 driver OR-2 Gard — also gave comments on the IRON SPARE 2020 competition and their mission in Lithuania.

Why did you choose to be a tanker/IFV crew member? How long are you serving in the army? What do you like the most In the Best Squad Competition of the Lithuanian Land Forces the Norwegian Squad took the 1st place in your job? among the foreign teams. Leopard driver OR-2 Henrik: When I first started my basic training, as a conscript, I actu- insight wasn’t the best, I wanted to challenge C-90 driver OR-2 Gard: The best and most ally wanted to be an infantry soldier. However, myself with this job. It has been the most re- challenging ability of the CV-90 is all the tech- this changed when I had a look at a tank for warding part. nology. The second best thing is the optics for the first time. The tank chose me. I have now the gunner. The third would be the engine. served three and a half year in the army. What Could you name 3 best qualities of tank I like most about my job are my colleagues and Leopard/IFV CV-90? What are the main What are your main tasks in the vehicle? comrades. challenges to work in it? Is your daily routine very intensive? C-90 driver OR-2 Gard: I have been an IFV- Leopard driver OR-2 Henrik: Manoeuvrabi- Leopard driver OR-2 Henrik: My main task driver for about 3.5 years. The reason I became lity, reliable and modular. The main challenge is to be a driver. Our daily routine varies from a driver was that I’ve always liked driving — is to train realistically while maintaining a high week to week. An example; one week we can especially motorcycles. Since my technical operative status on our vehicles. do maintenance on our tanks, the next week

The Norwegians won IRON SPEAR 2020 competition in Latvia both in the Main Battle Tank and Infantry Fighting Vehicle categories.

February 2021. No 2. 7 NATO's presence

MAIN BATTLE TANK LEOPARD 2A4 could be a field training exercise or a live fire LEAOPARD and IRON WOLF are some of exercise. them. They are all different kinds of exercises, C-90 driver OR-2 Gard: My main task obvious- but what they have in common are that they all ly is to drive. I also do most of the maintenance have been educational in some way or another. from everything to wash and clean the vehicle Back in Norway, our training areas are densely to change the tracks and parts. During exercise wooded. Therefore, it is useful to come here to I plan most of our driving routes by using our train in new terrain to challenge ourselves. digital map system. I also help the crew with ob- C-90 driver OR-2 Gard: We have been in servations from our shared camera systems. quite a lot exercises the last 4 months here in Lithuania, mostly with our company, but also Can you tell us about the tank exerci- just our platoon and the whole battalion. The Place of origin: West Germany ses you have participated in Lithuania? most interesting part was the IRON WOLF In service: 1979–present What were the most interesting/useful exercise to see the vast power of our battalion Mass: 62,000 kg combat condition and why? Do you often have a possibility in action put in motion, how this works out Length: 7.70 m to train in a quite wooded area? over a big area and over a long period. Width: 3.70 m Leopard driver OR-2 Henrik: We have partici- Most of our training both here and back home Height: 3 m pated in many exercises in Lithuania. EAGER are conducted in wooded areas, but the main Crew: 4 Armor: 3rd generation composite; includ- ing high-hardness steel, tungsten and plastic filler with ceramic component. Main armament: 1×120 mm L/55 smooth- bore gun Shooting range: 4 km Secondary armament: 2×7.62 mm MG3A1 Engine: MTU MB 873 diesel engine, which provides 1,103 kW of engine output. Transmission: Renk HSWL 354 Fuel capacity: 1,200 liters Accessories: Infrared night vision, NBC protection system. Operational range: 500 km Speed: 72 km/h

The most widespread version of the Leo- pard 2 family, the 2A4 models included more substantial changes, including an automated fire and explosion suppression system, an all- digital fire control system able to handle new ammunition types, and an improved turret with flat titanium/tungsten amour.

8 Lithuanian Military Digest NATO's presence

THE INFANTRY FIGHTING VEHICLE CV90

Place of origin: Sweden difference is that Norway has a lot more moun- tries, for ex. German Leopards, French Mass: 33.5 tons tains, valleys and hills. The new environment Leclercs and American Abrams? Could you Length: 6.55 m in Lithuania expands our experience of differ- drive these types of tanks, if needed? Width: 3.1 m ent terrain types. Leopard driver OR-2 Henrik: I think this Height: 2.7 m is what needs to be done to have a powerful Crew: 3 (commander, gunner, driver) and 8 Tell us more about the IRON SPEAR NATO. To better know each other strengths troopers competition: how did you prepare for it, and weaknesses as well as the possibility of the Main armament: 30 mm cannon what were the main tasks and the biggest equipment is valuable. I have actually been in- Secondary armament: 7.62 COAX, a remo- challenges for your crew? Was it difficult side every tank of every nation in the eFP. Ad- te weapon system (RWS) to compete with the teams from the other ditionally, I have learned how to start up some Additional eqipement: 12 smoke launchers nations? What is a secret of your victory? of the vehicles used in Latvia, Lithuania and Engine: diesel V8 engine Leopard driver OR-2 Henrik: To be honest, Estonia. I also believe I could have driven them Power/weight: 24.1 hp/tone we really didn’t train any different than we if I wanted or needed to. Transmission: automatic normally do and I think that’s our secret and C-90 driver OR-2 Gard: We get a lot of Operational range: 320 km why we won. We did what we have learned and good experiences training with all the other Speed: 70 km/h practiced since we all started to work in the IFV’s and tanks like the German Leopards tank company. Unlike the polish PT-91 and and the French Leclercs. It means a lot to see the Leclerc, our tank can`t shoot while the tur- them in action and to let them see us as well ret is six o`clock on the hull. If it is, the system in the battlefield. This creates a band of brot- will engage a shooting block, so we had to en- hers which is the purpose of this mission and sure that we always had the possibility to shoot NATO. Give me a couple of minutes in the the targets. So that was our biggest challenge. driver seat on one of these tanks and I would The best thing about the IRON SPEAR was have been able to drive it. the opportunity to get to know the other tank crews from other nations and their equipment. What did you like the most in this mis- C-90 driver OR-2 Gard: In the IRON SPER sion? What were the biggest challenges exercise we prepared well with a good plan for you here? combined by my gunner and my commander Leopard driver OR-2 Henrik: Always be pre- and myself. We envisioned the exercise before pared. The best is to better know the other starting and all have different responsibilities nations and to get new friends and comrades. during the engagements. From our first battle The biggest challenge is to be away from the position in the exercise, all routes, target refe- family back home for a long period of time. rence points and sectors had been selected. The C-90 driver OR-2 Gard: What I like most first targets were difficult to locate, but we- ma about this mission is the camaraderie I can naged to locate and engage them in a good way. take with me. The biggest challenge for me The other nations were great, but I think the here comes with the regulations of Covid-19. secret to our victory is countless hours of hard The cancellation of one leave and the curfew work with realistic training and a great staff makes the life on the barracks monotonous. helping us to be the deadliest on the battlefield. By Ilona Skujaitė What does it mean to train together with Photo credits: The Norwegian Armed Forces the tankers and tanks from different coun- and Sveinn Helgason

February 2021. No 2. 9 In short

War for freedom of Lithuania: The declaration of February 16, 1949

ON FEBRUARY 10–20, 1949, THE GATHERING OF ALL THE MAIN LEADERS OF THE ARMED ANTI-SOVIET RESISTANCE MOVEMENT OF LITHUANIA TOOK PLACE IN THE BUNKER, WHICH WAS BASED IN THE STASYS MIKNIUS-OWNED FARMSTEAD’S BARN IN RADVILIŠKIS REGION. THEY ESTABLISHED THE MOVEMENT OF THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM OF LITHUANIA (COMMONLY REFERRED TO BY ITS LITHUANIAN ACRONYM, LLKS). THEY SIGNED THE DECLARATION OF FEBRUARY 16, 1949 STATING THAT THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF LITHUANIA IS THE MOVEMENT’S FINAL GOAL.

vas Miknius in the village of Minaičiai (not far from the town of Šiauliai; now the Lithuania’s administrative district of Radviliškis). This constituent assembly established the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos laisvės kovos sąjūdis or LLKS). During the assembly, the leadership of the LLKS was elected. The as- sembly discussed all the political, tactical, ideo- logical and organizational issues of the LLKS, including the political program of the LLKS, the statue of the LLKS and the issues related to partisans’ uniforms, ranks and posts. The as- sembly adopted its appeals to all the members of the partisan movement and the rest of the population of Lithuania. The most important document of the as- sembly was the LLKS Council’s Declaration of February 16, 1949. "The Council of the Meeting of Kęstutis District Vaidotas Territorial Unit partisans and representatives of South Lithuania Region travelling to convention of commanders. Jurbarkas and Girdžiai circuits, 4 February 1949. First line LLKS shall be the supreme political body of left to right: unidentified partisan, Jonas Petrauskas-Šarūnas, Chief of the Intelligence Division of Tauras the nation during the occupation period. The District Žalgiris Territorial Unit headquarters Juozas Jankauskas-Demonas, Adolfas Kvedys-Girėnas. governing of Lithuania shall be exercised by Second line left to right: Alfonsas Kvedys-Jaunutis, Chief of the Management Divi-sion of Tauras District Žalgiris territorial unit headquarters Urbantas Dailidė-Tauras, Tauras District commander the Seimas (Parliament) elected through free, Aleksandras Grybinas-Faustas, Juozas Palubeckas-Simas, unidentified partisan. democratic, general, equal elections by secret ballot," reads the declaration of February 16, THE ANTI-SOVIET RESISTANCE IN were former militaries in the armed forces, who 1949. LITHUANIA fought alongside with farmers, students and The Declaration, along with the other docu- hen Lithuania was occupied teachers. More than 20,000 freedom fighters ments adopted at the convention of Lithuanian by the Soviet Russia again, the were killed during the struggle. partisan commanders, have constituted the Lithuanian armed anti-Soviet re- Although an active partisan fighting move- legal and political base of Lithuanian armed Wsistance started in the summer of 1944, when ment was suppressed in the 1950s, the ideals resistance, gave new character to the struggles the first partisan units were created. Later, they for which men and women laid down their lives for freedom, validated LLKS as an organization formed some bigger structures of the armed in Lithuanian forests remained in the hearts of of universal organized armed resistance to the resistance movement: military companies, par- Lithuanians. The struggle (only in other forms) Soviet occupation, whereas its Council — as tisan military districts and partisan military re- for the Independence of Lithuania never the only legal government in the territory of gions. The partisan leaders seek to unite all the ceased. occupied Lithuania. partisan military territorial structures for estab- lishing a centralized organization, which would THE DECLARATION OF 16 THE SIGNATORY coordinate the political and military fight to FEBRUARY, 1949 The Declaration was signed by eight partici- liberate Lithuania. On February 10–20, 1949, after some pre- pants of the assembly – Jonas Žemaitis (par- This partisan war in Lithuania continued for liminary exchange of opinions on February tisan code name Vytautas), chairman of the nearly ten years until 1953, when the partisan 2–10, the gathering of all the main partisans’ presidium of the Council of the LLKS, and the movement’s structures were liquidated by the commanders of all the Lithuanian regions LLKS Council’s members: Aleksandras Gry- Soviets (although single partisans survived as was held in the bunker of Leonardas Grigonis binas (partisan code name Faustas), Vytautas late as 1969). During the active war time, the (partisan code name Užpalis; the commander Gužas (partisan code name Kardas), Juozas partisans numbered about 50,000 fighters and of the Prisikėlimas partisan military district), Šibaila (partisan code name Merainis), Bronius had about 50,000 active supporters. These which was located in the farmstead of Stanislo- Liesys (partisan code name Naktis), Leonardas

10 Lithuanian Military Digest In short

Medal was issued in 1928 to commemorate the partisan command. In 1949, he called the con- 10th anniversary of the Republic). vention of the commanders of the Lithuanian In 1945 Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas entered partisans that announced the creation of the the Lithuanian Freedom Army and gave the unified resistance organization, i.e. the Move- oath. Same year he was appointed as Chief of ment for the Struggle for Freedom of Lithua- Žebenkštis Forces Staff, later — Commander nia. Also, the political Declaration was adopted of the same Forces. After Kęstutis District stating that LLKS Council is the supreme na- commander, the Captain of Lithuanian Avia- tional political authority governing the fight for tion, one of initiators of the creation of the freedom of the nation to restore the indepen- united command of Lithuania partisans Juo- dent and democratic republic. zas Kasperavičius-Visvydas perished in 1947, J. Žemaitis was elected as LLKS Chairman J. Žemaitis was elected to be the District Com- and the Partisan General in a unanimous vote. mander. He was implementing the functions of the su- He continued the recruitment started by the preme commander of the Armed Forces of the

President of Lithuania Brigadier General Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas.

Grigonis (partisan code name Užpalis), Adol- fas Ramanauskas (partisan code name Vana- gas), and Petras Bartkus (partisan code name Žadgaila). It is symbolic that eight leaders of the gueril- la movement announced their declaration one- and-a-half months before the establishment of NATO. The ideals of both acts were the same. On January 12, 1999, the Seimas (Lithuanian Parliament) passed a law to honor the partisans’ Declaration of February 16, 1949. The Lithua- nian MPs stated that the LLKS was the sole legal authority within the territory of occupied Commander of the Eastern Lithuania Region Antanas Slučka-Šarūnas with signal operators,1949. Lithuania. The law of 1999 states, "The February 16, 1949 Declaration by the LLKS shall consti- tute a legal act of the State of Lithuania."

PRESIDENT OF LITHUANIA BRIGADIER GENERAL JONAS ŽEMAITIS-VYTAUTAS The Chairman of the Presidium of the Council of the Movement of the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania (LLKS), the Partisan General, was announced as the President of the Republic of Lithuania on 12 March 2009. He was born in March 15, 1909 in Palanga. After completing six grades of Raseiniai Gym- nasium, he entered into the Military school. In 1933 he completed the Artillery Department of Vytautas the Great Courses for Officers. Bet- ween 1936 and 1938 studied in Fontainebleau Artillery School in France. After returning to Lithuania, he has been commanding the Train- ing Troop of the Fourth Artillery Regiment until the Soviet occupation. He was awarded Oath of the partisans of Vytis District Vienuolis squad. Commander of the Field of Crosses squad Jonas Baltušnikas-Vienuolis. 30 July 1949. with the Lithuanian Independence Medal (the

February 2021. No 2. 11 In short

ment was formally opened on 22 November 2010. On 26 May 2012, an exhibition was opened in the rebuilt barn. The exhibition called ‘Give your Homeland everything you should give’ contains a review of the partisan fight in 1944– 1953, the history of the centralization of the partisan leadership, and a map of the routes the partisan commanders took to the congress. Visitors are shown not only the signatories of the declaration but also the fighters who guar- ded and escorted them – their biographies and photographs, which have survived, are exhibi- ted. A part of the exhibition is devoted to ques- tions discussed during the congress — one stand contains copies of all documents ad- opted in the congress. Another stand is dedi- The Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania designed and built a monument to cated to the story of the bunker: when and commemorate the declaration of 16 February, 1949 and its signatories: All eight names of the partisans who signed the declaration are inscribed on the monument. under what circumstances it was built, how it became the location for the congress and Republic of Lithuania and the supreme officer place of commemoration. A memorial plaque its future after the participants left. There is leading the country’s political fight for freedom. was unveiled in 1994, and a small memorial also a brief story of the 2010 archaeological On 30 May 1953, the bunker where was opened later. In 2010, archaeological dig- diggings, with its findings exhibited nearby. J. Žemaitis was hiding was discovered. By gings were carried out; the municipality of Visitors can see the metal milk can where the throwing sedative gas hand grenade into the Radviliškis district rebuilt a barn with a bunker hidden archive of the partisans was found in ventilation duct it was attempted to avoid the underneath it; and experts from the Museum the Mikniai family homestead in 2004. Since suicide of the underground President that was of Genocide Victims re-created the bunker in- the exhibition is mounted in a barn, various traced for so long. He was delivered to Mos- terior. articles of daily living, clothes and black out cow’s Butyrka prison, interrogated and tor- In the same year, the Genocide and Resis- blinds are installed to give a more authentic tured. Until his very execution on 26 Novem- tance Research Centre of Lithuania designed impression. Together with the rebuilt parti- ber 1954, Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas remained and built a monument to commemorate san bunker, which the visitors can also see on loyal to his oath to the Lithuanian State. the declaration of 16 February, 1949 and its the site, the exhibition makes a harmonious signatories. All eight names of the partisans whole. All texts are in both Lithuanian and MEMORIAL FOR THE LITHUANIAN who signed the declaration are inscribed on English, so the exhibition is open to both local PARTISANS IN MINAIČIAI the monument. The monument depicts fir and foreign visitors. The site of the partisans gathering — the trees reaching for the sky, a symbol of shelter LMD inf. Mikniai family homestead in Minaičiai vil- for the partisans as well as a symbol of their Photo credit: The Genocide and Resistance lage, Radviliškis district — was turned into a mothers’ anguish and longing. The monu- Research Centre of Lithuania

The exhibition called ‘Give your Homeland everything you should give’ contains a review of the partisan fight in 1944– 1953, the history of the centralization of the partisan leadership, and a map of the routes the partisan commanders took to the congress.

12 Lithuanian Military Digest In short

DECLARATIONOF THE COUNCIL OF THE MOVEMENT OF STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM OF LITHUANIA

It is symbolic that 8 leaders of the guerilla movement announced their declaration one and-a-half months before the establishment of NATO. The ideals of both acts were the same. The Council of the Movement of Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania, repre- 11. The MSFL Delegation Abroad shall elect among its members the Chair- senting all the military public formations on the territory of Lithuania led by a man of the MSFL Delegation Abroad, who shall be considered the Deputy united leadership, namely: Chairman of the Presidium of the MSFL Council. a) the Region of Southern Lithuania which includes Dainavos District and 12. Members of the MSFL Delegation Abroad shall be considered full and Tauro District, equal members of the MSFL Council. b) the Region of Eastern Lithuania which includes Algimanto District, 13. The MSFL Council shall issue regulations on the implementation of this Didžiosios Kovos District, Vyčio District, and Vytauto District, Declaration. c) the Region of Western Lithuania which includes Kęstučio District, 14. Before the Seimas adopts and promulgates a State Constitution that is Prisikėlimo District and Žemaičių District, that is to say, expressing the will in conformity with aspirations for human freedom and democracy, the restora- of the Lithuanian nation, reiterating the fundamental principles stipulated in tion of the state of Lithuania shall be carried out in accordance with the provi- the 10/06/1946 Declaration of the Supreme Committee for the Restoration sions stipulated in this Declaration and in the spirit of the 1922 Constitution of of Lithuania, the 28/05/1947 resolutions of the UDRM [United Democratic Lithuania. Resistance Movement] and Declaration No 2 of the UDRM, and supplemen- 15. The restored state of Lithuania shall guarantee equal rights to all citizens ting them with the resolutions adopted at the joint meeting of the UDRM Pre- of Lithuania, who have not committed any crimes against the interests of the sidium and the UDRM Military Council on 10/02/1949, d e c l a r e s: Lithuanian nation.16. As dictatorial and in essence contradictory to the princi- 1. The Council of the MSFL [Movement of Struggle for Freedom of Lithua- pal aspiration of the Lithuanian nation and the core provision of the Constitu- nia], guided by the resolutions of the 10/02/1949 joint meeting of the UDRM tion — independence of Lithuania, the Communist Party shall not be conside- Presidium and the UDRM Military Council, shall be the supreme political body red a legal party. of the nation in charge of political and military struggle for the liberation of the 17. Persons, having betrayed their Homeland during the Bolshevik or Ger- nation during the occupation period. man occupation by collaborating with the enemy, having undermined the strug- 2. The headquarters of the Council of the MSFL and its Presidium shall be gle for the liberation of the nation by their actions or influence, having been in Lithuania. stained by treason or blood, shall be responsible before the Court of Lithuania. 3. The form of government in Lithuania shall be a democratic republic. 18. The positive impact of religion on developing the morality of the nation 4. Sovereign power in Lithuania shall belong to the nation. and maintaining its resilience during the most difficult period in its struggles for 5. Governance of Lithuania shall be exercised by the Seimas, elected in free, freedom shall be asserted. democratic, universal, and equal elections by secret ballot, and by the Govern- 19. Social care shall not be a matter of individual citizens or organisations ment to be formed. only, but it shall be one of the priority tasks of the state. Particular care shall be 6. Legislative power shall be vested in the Provisional Council of the Na- provided by the state to those who have fallen victim in struggles for freedom tion from the end of the occupation until a democratic Seimas of Lithuania is and to their families. convened. 20. Rational solution of social problems and economic reconstruction of the 7. The Provisional Council of the National shall consist of: representatives country shall relate to agricultural, urban and industrial reforms which shall be of all the regions, districts, units, higher schools, cultural, religious organisations undertaken at the very beginning of independent life. and movements, and political parties enjoying support by the nation, fighting 21. The MSFL Council, in strong unity with the struggling nation, invites all under the united leadership in Lithuania and abroad by adhering to the prin- Lithuanians of good will residing in their Homeland and outside its borders, to ciple of proportional representation. forget differences in their convictions and actively engage in the liberation of the 8. After Lithuania’s Independence is restored, before the Seimas is convened, nation.22. Contributing to efforts by other nations to create permanent peace the Chairman of the Presidium of the MSFL Council shall hold office of the underpinned by justice and freedom, based on full implementation of the prin- President of the Republic of Lithuania. ciples of a genuine democracy stemming from understanding Christian mora- 9. The Provisional Government of Lithuania shall be formed on the instruc- lity and declared in the Atlantic Charter, Four Freedoms, President Truman’s tions of the Chairman of the Presidium of the MSFL Council. The Government 12 Points, the Declaration of Human Rights and other declarations of justice shall be accountable to the Provisional Council of the Nation. and freedom, the MSFL Council appeals to the whole democratic world for as- 10. The Presidium of the MSFL Council shall have the MSFL Delegation sistance in implementing its goals. Abroad for the coordination of activities of Lithuanians abroad and the res- Occupied Lithuania 16/02/1949; toration of Lithuania, which in cooperation with representatives of Lithuania Chairman of the Presidium of the MSFL Vytautas accredited to Western countries shall set up commissions and delegations to Council Members of the MSFL Council: defend and represent Lithuanian issues in the United Nations Organisation, at Faustas Merainis Užpalis Žadgaila various conferences and other international institutions. Kardas Naktis Vanagas

February 2021. No 2. 13 The discount is applicable only upon presentation of a service National Defence System employees card.Special (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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CHALLENGES POSED BY RUSSIA FOR LITHUANIAN MILITARY SECURITY AND THEIR PROSPECTS CONCERNING THE CONDUCT OF MODERN RUSSIA IN THE COMMUNITY OF STATES, WE SEE ITS EXTREMELY ACTIVE POWER STRUGGLE TO JUSTIFY AND STRENGTHEN ITS STATE STATUS AS ONE OF THE CENTRES OF GLOBAL POWER, I.E. TO RECLAIM POSITIONS LOST DURING THE RELEVANT HISTORICAL PERIOD. SUCH BEHAVIOUR, WHICH IS CONCERNED WITH STRENGTHENING THE POTENTIAL OF THE STATE, IS SEEN AS COMMON PRACTICE AMONG STATES. IT IS A FACTOR IN MAINTAINING AND CREATING A NEW RUSSIAN INFLUENCE, PRIMARILY IN THE NEIGHBOURING STATES, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE POST-SOVIET SPACE AND IN FAR-FLUNG AREAS.

"HEVY METAL DIPLOMACY" Why has a policy of demonstrating military limited effect, whereas the wrong strategy is be- n this competitive struggle, the military power been adopted? ing used, whose potential is weakened by emig- component, which represents the na- Truth be told, there may be different answers, ration ethnic minority communities in Lithua- tional power, plays a special role. The but one of them would be other special mea- nia and natural change of generations (Česnakas so-calledI "heavy metal diplomacy" became sures or material resources that Russia has at its and Isoda, 2019). This further strengthens the Russia’s mark of recognition after 2014, when disposal, not producing the desired results. The representation of Russia’s image, associated with actions are realised leading from peace to economic power factor realised through oil and a bear as a threatening, high-powered, rabid war — threats, the development of conflict gas diplomacy in the modern world had only a animal capable of crashing obstacles on its way situations, such as provocative actions by the short-term impact, and the political potential in (Ryabova, 2012). Air and Navy forces against NATO forces, vio- the international arena was constrained after the Therefore, at this time Russia is actively lations of national airspace, redeployment of annexation of Crimea. In the post-Soviet space, strengthening its military potential, engaging in troops at the borders of neighbouring count- Russia is somewhat rescued by soft power, but aggressive actions and making extensive use of ries, continuous large-scale military exercises in the case of Lithuania, despite favourable cir- military rhetoric in order to secure a presence with imitation of offensive actions (Galeotti, cumstances (people’s desire to maintain good on the list of the most powerful states. Along 2016). These factors, with different levels of relations, Russian-speaking minority and rudi- with the rise of military power and the use of risk, can trigger a large-scale military conflict. mentary Russian language proficiency), it has a this power as an instrument of foreign policy,

16 Lithuanian Military Digest Special

Russian armed forces are actually being re- armed, including modern military equipment, at an unprecedented pace, as evidenced by as- pects such as huge political support for the di- rection of reforms and a big military budget, which in 2018, is ranked sixth in the world in terms of cost (61.4 billion) and since 2009, increased by 27% (Tian, Fleurant, Kuimova, Wezeman and Wezeman, 2019). Indeed, com- paring the state of the armed forces at the begin- ning of the reform and its penultimate year, we are seeing quite dramatic changes. Some basic qualitative and quantitative parameters can serve as an example. In addition to upgraded vessels, the Navy added 41 new vessels, inclu- ding submarines armed with Kalibr winged mis- siles in 2014-2016. According to Russian official sources in 2018, under contracts, the armed Russia has activated hybrid measures directed are understood as the use of conventional means, forces had to receive about 600 units of new and against Western states. According to Kremlin and hybrid threats as an integral part of such a 1500 units of repaired and modernised military ideologues, the role of the military-political fac- conflict. This article focuses on the changes in equipment. However, the list shows that these tor is growing, Russia’s foreign policy is conside- Lithuanian military security that determine the figures are dominated by the modernisation of red extremely successful and has allowed Russia potential of Russian military power. old technology and the production of missiles, to play its part in building a new world order while examples of new technology are few. (Karaganov and Suslov, 2018). Russia’s security TECHNICAL PARAMETERS OF Among them are 9 Armata tanks (total of 132 strategy explicitly seeks to dominate the region, MILITARY POWER scheduled by 2021), 2 out of 15 new 5th-genera- the escalation of the situation in relation to both Many academic and expert studies state that tion Su-57 aircraft, which means that, albeit on regional actors and other external powers, to Russia’s military power was strengthened by the a small scale, Russia has started their serial pro- make the Russian military response in its region radical reform of the military (reduction of the duction; as well as 6 upgraded Mig-35 (Novye more than just a flexible and transformative number of troops, optimisation of the military nositeli, Kalibrov, 2018). At the annual military response against any potential adversary in the structure and management), the first two stages exhibition Army-2019, which showcases the region, but at the same time discourage external of which continued until 2012. The final stage achievements of the military-industrial comp- powers from further engaging in conflict (Radin of military reform, for final optimisation of the lex, no technological news was presented and et al., 2019). military and rearmament with new weapons and mostly featured unmanned vehicles of various Looking at Russia’s behaviour following the upgraded versions, with a percentage between types and variants (Fedutinov, 2019). annexation of Crimea, it becomes an unmissable 70% and 100%, is expected to be completed by Military armaments based on new technolo- scenario where the Russian regime would decide 2020 (Grätz, 2014) (Giles, 2014) (Golts, 2010) gies are unlikely to gain much momentum until to conduct a military intervention in one or more (Petraitis, 2010–2011) (Kaukas, 2014–2015). the end of the reform, and their serial produc- NATO countries, hoping that Article 5 would At the end of the reform period approaching, tion is expected to take a 10-year perspective remain merely a paper declaration and a joint the progress and results of the reform can be (Nevidimy aviapolk Su-57, 2019) (Putin zayavil response would not succeed. Without a doubt, talked about. o zakupke, 2019). In 2019, Russia has declared the most likely targets of provocation would be the Baltic States (Ivanauskas et al., 2016). For Lithuania, as a neighbour of a large state that has belonged to its territorial area several times during the various historical periods, one of the most sensitive issues is ensuring the security of its independent state. In 2018, the evaluation of threats to Lithuanian military security states that there is no knowledge of Russia’s attempts to adjust military security policy in order to de- escalate and reduce tensions. On the contrary, military power continues to remain one of the main sources of pride in the state and the pillars of domestic and foreign policy (Assessment of National Security Threats, 2019). The Baltic -re gion is one of the most active areas on Russia’s confrontational map with NATO states. In this case, challenges to Lithuania’s military security The Russian military has at least 288 Iskander ballistic missiles.

February 2021. No 2. 17 Special

Upgraded Russian jet fighter Mig-35, shown in the MAKS Air Show in Moscow. such official figures — equipment of military tionary military infrastructure (control points, security of the Baltic States, and Lithuania in forces with modern weapons since 2012 in- staffs, military equipment and ammunition de- particular — rapid remilitarisation of the Ka- creased to 61.5%, and separately by the types of pots, airports, locations of unit deployments). liningrad region and the prospect of using Be- forces: 82% in strategic nuclear, 48.3% for land, The Russian military has at least 288 Iskander larus as a Russian military platform. In this case, 74% for space, 62.3% for the navy, 63.7% for the ballistic missiles. Next to them are the Avan- Kaliningrad issues as an obvious potential threat Air Force; the number of contracted troops has gard, Kinzhal ballistic and winged missiles, the are discussed in detail by (Lopata, 2017-2018) more than doubled and reaches nearly 400,000 Poseidon unmanned vehicle, the Peresvet laser (Ivanauskas et al. 2016), therefore, it is appro- troops (Po armeyskim zakonam, 2019). In this weapon, which are at the disposal of the Navy priate to focus on the processes taking place in case, it is difficult to accurately estimate the cor- and the Air Force, and the development of land- neighbouring Belarus. Recently, a new phase respondence of percentage to reality, but it is based missile complexes in the plans (McDer- in the strengthening of the Russian military al- clear that the momentum of the relative growth mott, Bukkvoll, 2018), ("Iskander" — bolshche liance with Belarus is clearly noticeable. In the of military power in modernising the military chem raketa, 2019). In 2017, Chief of General context of the acute conflict with the West, forces and increasing the level of preparedness Staff of Russian Armed Forces Army, General Russia has been seeking to strengthen military can be observed (The Military Balance, 2018). Valery Gerasimov, stated that the offensive po- power in recent years, exploiting and control- What is important here is that Russia’s chances tential of this weapon will increase 4 times by ling Belarus’ military potential and the domestic of a local conflict have increased dramatically, as 2021 (Gerasimov, 2017). Without going into airspace. However, military expert Alexander has the determination to inspire such a conflict, the practical realisation of this statement, it can Golts says Russian and Belarusian military al- especially as Russia has gained some experien- be stated that today, at least part of such poten- liance has problems that may weaken it under ce in pursuing its interests abroad, as noted by tial has given Russia an advantage in the context certain circumstances, but specific actions are Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (Po of the Baltic region in the case of the local war. evidence of an intensified process of military armeyskim zakonam, 2019). cooperation between the two countries (Golts, Russia, on the other hand, has conventional ASPECTS OF KALININGRAD AND 2017). high-precision weapons at its disposal, which BELARUS We can talk about creating a unified regional military experts believe will increase in impor- Recently, two important factors have armed forces, consisting of all Belarusian forces tance and are effective with other types of wea- emerged in the dynamics of Russian military and the 20th Army of Russia’s Western Mili- pons. They are intended for destruction of sta- power, of particular relevance to the military tary District with assigned central and regional management units, determining the optimal combat composition during joint exercises. The durability of this military alliance after the annexation of Crimea was strengthened by en- hanced cooperation: the objectives of military integration are recorded in new instruments of strategic level — military doctrines, finally- completed old projects (air defence system) and the implementation of new initiatives, more specifically the attempt to implement what has been declared several decades ago in the strate- gic documents of both countries. The level of military interaction has increased significantly due to the rapid increase in the number of joint strategic exercises, as a result, their ability to con- duct joint combat tasks expeditiously has been significantly strengthened. In military-technical The Russian militaries in Kaliningrad. cooperation, intensification processes are less

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pronounced; however, significant changes have taken place in the development of the overall military infrastructure (Dunec, 2017) (Na- tional Security Threat Assessment, 2018-2019), (Pugačiauskas, 2019–2020) (Golts, 2017). This provides opportunities for united re- gional military forces to exploit and grow their combat potential. It is important that, at the stage of deepening the alliance’s development, Russia has considerably expanded its use of military capabilities by means of the Belaru- sian military force, and can use its territory as a bridgehead for potential military actions, even without permission from Belarus. It can be concluded that these actions have boosted the potential of Russian military power and its po- tential for use at the Lithuanian borders. The Belarusian factor of bridgehead is be- coming very significant as a potential threat to The Russian tanks in the exercise ZAPAD 2017. Lithuania and for the entire Baltic Sea region for one more reason: increasing the military group includes all Belarusian armed forces). STRATEGY PAPERS AND POLITICAL potential of the Russian Armed Forces West- It is worth noting that fairly abundant units of RHETORIC ern Military District. The Western Military airborne troops, air-space forces and strategic In order to understand the prospects for District comprises more than 2.5 thousand missile troops are deployed in the Western the use of Russian military power, it is neces- platoons and military units, with more than Military District (Kaukas, 2017). The apparent sary to disclose the aspirations for increasing 400 thousand troops, which is about 40% of dominance of the Russian military force in this military potential. The primary reasons for the all Russian military capabilities. In total, there region can be observed as compared with the strengthening of military power, as declared by are 5 divisions in the Western Military District NATO states forces bordering Russia. Russian experts, were complex. Most impor- (1 motorised, 1 tank and 3 airborne) and 47 tantly — degradation of the unreformed Soviet brigades (2 tanks, 8 motor rifle and other com- army at all levels: hypertrophied management, bat support and supply brigades). In the opi- surplus officers, low military readiness (13% nion of Erikas Kaukas, this may constitute the of units had regular combat readiness level), first echelon of Russian defence/offensive tar- complete domination of morally and physically geting Europe and would consist exclusively of obsolete machinery. According to local experts, military units in the Western Military District: Russia did not have the necessary resources in 1st Tank Army, 6th Army and 20th Army, Bal- the case of a conventional war, in turn, con- tic and North Sea Fleets and the CSTO Eastern sidered the conflict with NATO unlikely and European Task Force (it is likely that this considered China as not a lesser threat (in both cases, Russia could only resist with nuclear weapons). They put more emphasis on the so- called military-political threats, the focal points of which are potential conflicts in the post- Soviet area due to the instability of the state system. The reason for this instability is the Bia- lowieza Agreement, announcing the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The reform was driven by the rapid progress of military thought, warfare, requiring mobility, precise weapons, new strategies and tactics. The Russian military sympathised with the theory of networkcentric warfare seen in the US. The poor demographic situation in the country, with a decline in the age of drafted persons, was forcing the reformers think about a more com- pact and professional, much more mobile army (McDermott, 2009) (Barabanov, Makiyenko, Military expert Alexander Golts says Russian and Belarusian military alliance has problems that may Puchov, 2012) (Golts, 2010). The original ob- weaken it under certain circumstances, but specific actions are evidence of an intensified process of jective of strengthening military power seems military cooperation between the two countries. to be better achieved with the forced need for

February 2021. No 2. 19 Special

reforming the military forces rather than with wording was reproduced, and as early as in 2016, The perspective of using military capabili- its use as a major instrument to realise its politi- military power was identified as a tool to operate ties is highlighted the most in Military Doctrine, cal ambitions outside the country. in the international arena in addition economic, of which NATO is listed first on the main list It is necessary to discuss how the military legal, technological and informational, noting of military threats. The authors of this strate- perspective of power was identified in key stra- the growing role of the force factor (Kontsept- gic document envisage the possibility of pro- tegic documents governing Russia’s foreign, se- siya vneshney politiki Rossiyskoy Federatsii, tecting citizens abroad — "whereas the armed curity and military policy, i.e. the Foreign Policy 2013) (Kontseptsiya vneshney politiki Rossiys- forces outside the Russian Federation may be Concept of 2008, 2013, 2016, 2009; the Na- koy Federatsii, 2016). Meanwhile, the National deployed expeditiously in the interests of the tional Security Strategy to 2020, 2010; and the Security Strategy only states the potential of Russian Federation and its citizens, in order to military doctrine of 2014. The Foreign Policy Russia to establish itself in the foreseeable future ensure international peace and security, in ac- Concept states that international issues should among the countries leading the global economy, cordance with the principles and rules of inter- be addressed through network diplomacy, while with no mention of military power. However, it national law, interstate treaties and federal laws military power is seen as a means of influenc- is quite abstractly emphasised that the national of the Russian Federation" (Voeynaya doktrina ing states in international politics, but only in interests of the state will be adversely affected by Rossiyskoy Federatsii, 2010). This diplomati- combination with economic, legal, ecological, the unilateral force attempt (bearing in mind the cally sleek formulation of the problem allows scientific-technical, demographic and informa- US) used in international relations of a recurrent the ruling party to create an endless variety of tional (Kontseptsiya vneshney politiki Rossiys- nature (Strategiya natsionalnoy bezopasnosti interpretations to justify the use of force, i.e. koy Federatsii, 2008). In the version of 2013, its Rossiyskoy Federatsii, 2009). completely vague criteria that assesses the state and its citizens, and the interests of especially those living outside Russia. From the secu- rity point of view of neighbouring non-allies, this is the most "dangerous" formulation of the doctrine, allowing Russia to justify and conduct offensive military action under certain circum- stances. The president has the right of decision outside to use of military force expeditiously (Rus. operativno) outside Russia and can imple- mented, in the opinion of Keir Giles’s, with less consultation and under a little more in different circumstances (Voeynaya doktrina Rossiyskoy Federatsii, 2010) (Giles, 2010) (Pugačiauskas, 2010–2011). In the military doctrine of 2014, essential positions on the use of military forces remain largely unchanged, stating that the geopolitical situation has escalated (Voeynaya doktrina Ros- siyskoy Federatsii, 2014). According to Katri Pynnöniemi, a Finnish researcher, Russia’s stra- tegic documents are characterised by the fact

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that they do not refer to how to deal with spe- cific conflict situations, they are full of contra- dictions, leave plenty of room for interpretation, thus, a lot of freedom for unexpected actions (Pynnöniemi, 2018). Uses of military forces are explicitly declared in the rhetoric of politicians. President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, in the Annual Report to the Federal Assembly in 2009, declared only tech- nical issues related to military capabilities en- hancement, but already at that time, the vision of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was clearer and more specific, as it has been identified as a means of strengthening the strategic detention potential of the military reform, finding that the country cannot rely on diplomatic and econo- mic methods to resolve the contradictions and conflicts (Poslaniye Prezidenta Federalnomu Sobraniyu, 2009) (Poslaniye Prezidenta Fede- ralnomu Sobraniyu, 2010) (Putin, 2012). Largescale joint Russian-Belarussian military exercises ZAPAD 2017. Upon returning to presidency, Putin, in his annual report of 2015 at the federal meeting, forces mentions the use of armed forces for- tions of a military nature, regular military exerci- noted the importance of the fight against terror- mulated in the abstract needs of the defence ses, and the actual use of military power already ism and the fact that the armed forces in Syria of citizens against terrorism, in the territory mentioned (Syria’s case). The first two are most fought for Russia and defended the security of geographically far from Russia, and at the same relevant to Lithuania’s military security. its citizens, and the soldiers proved their com- time, assuming the functions of a peacekeeper The continuing activity of Russian-based bat ability and demonstrated increased civili- for state borders. The corresponding combina- aircraft around the Baltic airspace has been ob- ties. It is further emphasised that Russia cannot tion of such abstraction can be applied to any served since 2014, when the NATO air police be vulnerable and needs to be "strong" in the other place in the world, even more so in the ter- mission aircraft from the Baltic States were lifted economy, in technology and in "professional ritories that belonged to the area of the Soviet 140 times to take over Russian aircraft; in 2015, competences" (Poslaniye Prezidenta Federal- Union. this type of lift was recorded around 160 times. nomu Sobraniyu, 2015). Three years later, the Typically, fighter jets are on a mission several president’s thoughts centred on two key state- DEMONSTRATION OF MILITARY times a week. This behaviour of the Russian mi- ments: first, "it is necessary and very important POWER litary continues from time to time: for example, to emphasise that Russia’s growing military po- Let’s explain another practice related to the from 29 July to 4 August 2019 — 14 times per tential as a guarantor of global peace, it ensures growth of Russian military power, which is clear- week, most often intercepting Russian fighter strategic balance and the balance of power in the ly at odds with the mission of the peacekeeper. aircraft Su-24, Su-27 and transport aircraft An26; world; second, we do not threaten anyone, and The dynamics of the growth of military power is as well as a patrol aircraft, Il-38, an early warning we’re not going to attack anyone, threatening characterised by an exceptional demonstration and control system; A-50 without an operating with a weapon that we are going to take away" of military activity that is inadequate to the in- radar transponder, without a flight plan. Ad- (Poslaniye Prezidenta Federalnomu Sobraniyu, ternational situation. These actions against the ditionally, radio communication with the Re- 2018 goda). Western powers gained a systemic character after gional Air Traffic Control Centre (RSVC) was Therefore, it can be stated that in the rheto- the annexation of Crimea. We can assign the fol- not supported (data on aircraft response to the ric of the president as commander of the armed lowing composite elements to it: provocative ac- Baltic state borders: 29-09-2019 — 08 04-2019, 2019), which does not meet the standards of the armed forces/actions in international waters and international airspace. Dangerous manoeuvres by a Russian Su-24 airliner in 2016 took place near the USS Donald Cook missile destroyer sailing to Klaipėda (US commander: Russia’s actions are not in line with international norms, 2016). It is important to note that the Russian side denies the existence of such a fact. Such provocation of Russian aircrafts can be seen as a high-risk factor that could lead to a larger-scale conflict situation by accident. It is obvious that circumstances do not warrant similar military action, therefore, they can also be seen as certain NATO jet fighter intercepting Russian bomber TU-95 in the Baltic skies. signs of preparation for the war. In addition, in

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author says, this does not mean that the current security environment is not complicated or dan- gerous (Tuck, 2017). The extensive discussion on hybridity indicates that asymmetric mea- sures have recently gained increasing relevance. While we may find some examples in the story, new dimensions force us to look at the situation from new perspectives. Concerning the hybrid threats posed by Rus- sia to Lithuania, it must be understood that any of them can easily transform in order to become a strong argument for Russia to inspire and launch an armed local military conflict. In the opinion of Samuel Charapa, who analysed the logical sequences of the use of Russian military force as a last resort in foreign policy since the The Belarusian helicopters Mi-17 in exercise ZAPAD 2017. Crimean conflict, Russia is using military force in order to force the adversary to stop the ac- 2017 and in 2019, dangerous situations accom- stood as a warning addressed to NATO partners tions he has taken so far, and the probability of a panied the flight of Russian Defence Minister in the Baltic region, Sweden and Finland, to not conflict between Russia and NATO is quite high S. Shoigu near Lithuania (Incident near Lithua- to seek NATO membership or close coopera- and has a tendency to increase. The most likely nia, 2019). Therefore, we see that this year-on- tion with the Alliance. On the other hand, they place of conflict is the Baltic region in particu- year military activity is not accidental, but sys- can be designed to spread the message that Rus- lar (Charapa, 2016). By increasing the activity temic, as premeditated, deliberate actions. sia has the means and the political will to deploy of NATO troops (rotation of troops, extension Another factor of activity posing additional its forces in military action (can react faster and of the air mission, joint military exercises) in risks to the Lithuanian military security at va- more efficiently than NATO), where Russia and Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in response to rious levels is the constant large-scale manoeuv- a particular NATO country or group of count- Russia’s aggressive actions, Russia, for its part, res targeting NATO that are carried out at the ries are fighting (Kaukas, 2017). Ongoing exer- responded by disproportionately increasing Lithuanian borders. Expert studies discussing cises near Lithuania can be seen as a potential military power — the military contingent in largescale joint Russian-Belarussian military source of threat. the Western Military District, remilitarisation exercises (Zapad) state that the scenario con- Recently security issues are seen as cover- of Kaliningrad and, as already mentioned, es- sists of simulated actions as a sudden attack ing increasingly more aspects; it is not limited tablishment of a military platoon in Belarus. In by an opponent, seizure and establishment of solely to the threats arising from the use of the his official speeches in 2019, V. Gerasimov -em battlements and territories, consolidation and conventional instruments. This trend intensi- phasised that one of the important conditions extension of the result achieved, conflict stabili- fied in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine in 2014 for the reduction of tensions between NATO sation and wide-ranging (all-state) defence with and led to a rethinking of security issues within and Russia is the reduction of the destabilising the involvement of the full capacity of the state, NATO and allies. In this context, we should activity of NATO troops and deployment of ad- and transition to nuclear war in case of defeat. know the time of the "hybrid war", albeit not ditional forces and expansion of military infra- The training included not only force readiness new, but increasingly more often heard in public structure in the Baltic States (Vystupleniye per- testing but also military camouflage and strate- discourse, not only in relation to the use of mili- vogo zamestitelya Ministra Oborony RF, 2019). gic communication for the West. The cases of tary actions, but also in areas such as diplomacy, This issue is also used in Russian academic Georgia 2008, Crimea 2014 lead Russia to be- economics or information. The definition of the literature, warning that these countries are be- lieve that the opening of talks in the West will so-called "hybrid war" is not well-established coming Russia’s number one target to be ad- consolidate what has been achieved by military and is often criticised — in many cases, authors dressed, which could receive a retaliatory or means. It shows the efforts of Russia to prepare Andrew Monaghan Elie Tenenbaum point out warning military strike (Tsedilina, 2017). Thus, for a possible new military conflict in Europe its abstract nature and the need to take the con- we can see that Russia’s military pressure has be- and the long-term approach in this direction text into account when addressing security is- come one of the essential tools of longterm fo- (Petraitis, 2017–2018) (Wilk, 2017). sues (Monaghan, 2015) (Tenenbaum, 2015). reign policy and there is no need to look for ad- It is important to emphasise that large num- The term is also problematic for analysts such as ditional arguments that this neighbouring state bers of smaller-scale exercises are constantly or- Damien Van Puyvelde, who notices that the sys- again poses a fundamental existential challenge ganised, including Air Command, Air Defence tematic use of the term implies that something to Lithuania’s national security. and other specialised military units. The objec- new is emerging in modern warfare, however, Looking back, we can see that Russia is, at all tives of such high-activity, incidentally, costly, asymmetric measures are generally applied in times, seen as an unpredictable and/or difficult- are complex, although officially declared purely conflicts (e.g., propaganda) is not news, and the to-predict player on the international stage, so defensive in nature. Exercises are not only to use of new technologies such as cyber-attacks it’s important to try to understand and antici- intimidate, but also to encourage politicians is seen as bringing another new dimension pate its actions, even more so as key decisions, and the public in NATO countries to speak out (Puyvelde, 2015). According to Chris Tuck, in particular international relations and security against increasing NATO capabilities near the the concept of hybrid warfare says more about policy, depend on one person. In the near future, Russian border, the exercise should be under- our fears than any new warfare model, but as the the likelihood of diminishing confrontation with

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the West is very low. Russia is reluctant to make documents, military power is identified as one Russia’s disposition to rely on military power compromises, will seek to preserve its imagined of the means to influence states in international is a destabilising, heightened risk factor that geopolitical positions, so there is ample room for politics, and the use of military forces is not ex- diminishes security guarantees and reinforces a exacerbating the situation. On the other hand, plicitly regulated, leaving plenty of room for free sense of insecurity, and its subsequent dynamics it is worth remembering one more reality of to- interpretation. In the documents mentioned have become difficult to predict. In this case, day’s Russia. As Russian political scientist Andrei and in the rhetoric of politicians, the need to Lithuania’s membership in the EU-NATO al- Kolesnikov notes, the Russian political regime strengthen military power is based on ensuring liance from the point of view of security offers has succeeded in restoring the mystical "hero- the security of one’s country. In practice, we see much greater guarantees than before. ism" of the war, a certain aura of justice and to a far more sophisticated image, especially promi- Policy makers in Lithuania’s military security convince everyone that, quite paradoxically, ag- nent in regions bordering the West with the ma- enhancement should take care of complex mea- gression is a defensive war or just a series of mili- jor neighbour. The accelerated mobilisation of sures, depending on the relevance of the prob- tary operations; personalised government and troops near the Lithuanian borders in the West- lem. First and foremost, it is the strengthening its associated financial groups need the mobili- ern military district, equipping them with mo- of defence efforts of the country and the region sation and support of society, so the permanent dern weapons, enhancement of military readi- through its own efforts and those of the allies, war with the supposed enemies, who attack the ness, large-scale military exercises maximised and a number of initiatives and practical instru- Russian fortress will continue, but society doesn’t Russia’s military potential. Strengthening of the ments have been taken in recent years to further want a real big war, therefore militarisation and its Russian-Belarus military alliance has become an strengthen this dynamic on the basis of balanced propaganda have their limits (Kolesnikov, 2016). additional significant factor reducing Lithuania’s internal resource potential. It is equally important security guarantees, where Russia demonstrates to initiate and support actions to preserve and re- CONCLUSIONS the principle of expanding the possibilities for inforce the unity of the Euro-Atlantic structures The security dilemma remains a problematic using military capabilities, relying on Belarus- and to contribute to efforts to reduce confronta- issue on the international scene at all times, and sian forces, military infrastructure and territory tion and the possibility of local conflict. in this case, we see state-players increasing their as a platform for potential military action. security in every possible way without provid- It is obvious that Russia’s military power By Virgilijus Pugačiauskas, ing each other with security guarantees. The dominates the region, and this provides ad- professor at the Department of Political Science confrontational policy chosen by the Russian ditional opportunities for aggressive action at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy political regime, with the demonstration of mili- against Lithuania and other neighbouring states. of Lithuania tary power to the West, the signs of a possible On the other hand, the constant inspiration of An article from Česnakas, G., Statkus, N. Lithuania conflict preparedness are at an initial stage of the provocative actions initiated facilitates the in the Global Context: National Security and Defence development and may be further strengthened emergence of an unexpected conflict, which Policy Dilemmas. Edited Volume. Vilnius, 2020. in the foreseeable future. In Russian strategic can easily lead to more intense confrontation. Photo credits: www.flickr.com

The Russian political scientist Andrei Kolesnikov notes, the Russian political regime has succeeded in restoring the mystical "heroism" of the war.

February 2021. No 2. 23 Photo credit: Sgt 1st Class Arnas Čemerka

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