Lithuania begins construction of base for German troops near Russian border

By Andrius Sytas

RUDNINKAI, Lithuania (Reuters) - Lithuania on Monday began construction of a military base, which will accommodate up to 4,000 combat-ready German troops once completed by the end of 2027, in the first permanent foreign deployment for the German military since World War Two.

Germany committed to deploy troops in the NATO and European Union member, which borders Russia, last year. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius compared the decision to the posting of allied forces in West Germany during the Cold War to defend Western Europe in case of a Soviet attack.

Lithuanian chief of defence Raimundas Vaiksnoras estimated the country would spend more than 1 billion euros ($1.10 billion) over the next three years to develop the base, in one of the largest construction projects in its history.

It's "a huge investment" for a nation of 2.9 million with an economy a tenth the size of Germany's, Vaiksnoras said on the sidelines of a launch ceremony.

"The brigade will work as reassurance to our population and as deterrence, to push the Russians out," he added.

HOUSING, TANKS AND STORAGE

The base in Rudninkai, close to the capital Vilnius and only 20 km (12 miles) from Russian ally Belarus, will accommodate up to 4,000 troops, storage and maintenance for tanks and other equipment, and shooting ranges of all sizes. About a thousand more German military and civilian contractors will be posted to other sites in Lithuania.

However, only about a fifth of the compound buildings in Rudninkai have been contracted for construction, raising fears it will not be ready in time.

Defence Minister Laurynas Kasciunas told reporters his ministry will award contracts for the rest of the works by the end of this year, when his government's terms ends.

The German government has asked parliament for 2.93 billion euros to order 105 Leopard 2 A8 tanks, partly to equip the Lithuanian base, according to a confidential draft budget seen by Reuters in June.

However, budget infighting within Germany's fractious coalition is jeopardising Berlin's pledge to upgrade its military.

Lithuania has upped its defence spending to 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's government hiked taxes to support defence needs, such as the base, over the next several years.

"If we are not secure, there is no security for them," Simonyte told reporters at the ceremony, referring to Germany.

($1 = 0.9063 euros)

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Sharon Singleton)