NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed the tragic deaths of four US soldiers who went missing during training in Lithuania, expressing his condolences to their families and the United States. Details surrounding the incident remain unclear, with a US official stating only that the soldiers were involved in a training accident.
While in Warsaw, Rutte acknowledged the news, describing it as “terrible” and extending his thoughts to the affected families. The soldiers were reportedly engaged in routine tactical training when they went missing. According to a Lithuanian broadcaster, they were last known to be participating in exercises at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground, which is situated near the Belarus border.
The Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are NATO members and have experienced tense relations with Russia, particularly since their independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. These tensions escalated further following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has been vocal in his support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.
As investigations continue, both NATO and US officials are expected to provide more information, shedding light on the circumstances leading to this unfortunate incident.