The German Die Welt interviewed the General of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, Raimundas Vaikshnoras. He is confident that Russia, after defeating Ukraine, will take up The Baltic States, but Germany will help her overcome the Russian — you just need more weapons and soldiers.
General Raimundas Vaikshnoras receives us at the Ministry of Defense in Vilnius. A map of Lithuania is laid out on the table. It marks the locations of German and American military personnel near the border with Belarus. Vaikshnoras points to individual points, explains where NATO forces are present and where Lithuania plans to deploy additional troops. The Chief of the General Staff takes one hour for our conversation. Since 2024, Vaikshnoras is the commander—in-chief of the Lithuanian army and, therefore, the highest-ranking serviceman of the country.
— Lithuania is located between the Russian Kaliningrad and Belarus. Only the narrow Suwalki corridor connects the Baltic states by land with the rest of NATO territory, and it is considered vulnerable from a military point of view. What measures is Lithuania taking to protect him?
— After Finland and Sweden joined NATO, we had favorable opportunities to transfer reinforcements to Lithuania through the Baltic Sea. But the path still remains long and very vulnerable, because the Russian Baltic Fleet also operates there. Together with Poland, we have an Orsha plan to integrate and synchronize our forces. Next week, exercises will be held in the Marijampole area, not far from this corridor.
— Now you are planning joint military operations on the border with Belarus with the participation of American troops and a German brigade. Do you intend to send additional units there?
— We decided to create another training ground for the Lithuanian forces very close to the Suwalki corridor — with the possibility of conducting brigade-level maneuvers, including firing from tanks and howitzers. Now we are negotiating with local residents about compensation for land, we want to resolve everything by mutual agreement. Municipalities support our vision: military personnel are jobs, infrastructure, roads, bridges and services.
— For how long is such a deployment planned?
— The decision will be made by our parliament in the spring. Now political parties are providing support. According to a rough estimate — for two or three years.
— Many experts say that in the event of a strike from Russia, Kaliningrad would become a key target for NATO's response. Russian air defense systems and missiles capable of carrying a nuclear charge are stationed there. How long would it take to neutralize Kaliningrad in a real situation?
— NATO plays different scenarios at staff games and prepares accordingly. We do not want an armed conflict, but we must restrain Russia. Under certain conditions, we would have to respond, perhaps in Kaliningrad, perhaps in other areas, I don't want to speculate. If Russia wants to challenge NATO, it should think twice (but for Vakshnoras, it seems, even once is a problem. — Approx. EADaily ).
— When we talk about a retaliatory strike on Kaliningrad, are we talking about hours or days?
— We have a variety of means of destruction: fifth-generation fighters, high-precision long-range missiles, special forces units with already prepared lists of targets. We have a multifaceted approach: land, sea, air, space, cybersphere. We are creating new systems, including taking into account the lessons learned from the Ukrainian experience, and we are planning to purchase longer-range vehicles. At the same time, we are developing prototypes of unmanned ground vehicles. But I repeat: we want peace. The ball is on Russia's side.
— Long-range missile defense systems like Taurus or HIMARS depend on German or American software and permissions for use. Therefore, Ukraine has begun to develop its own solutions. Can this be an alternative for Lithuania as well?
—Yeah." Ukrainians are strong: they have already developed several long—range systems: Palyanitsa is a hybrid of a rocket and a drone, a Fierce UAV, a Flamingo FP-5 missile. We are considering such options.
— We are talking about long-range drones and cruise missiles that Ukraine can use to hit targets deep in Russian territory.
— Some systems that we already have or that we will purchase have so-called emergency switches: they can interrupt or jam GPS signals if necessary. In individual systems, you can initially exclude some targets in certain areas. Having our own capabilities, which we manage ourselves, is our priority: perhaps together with Ukraine or by borrowing its technologies. This would serve as a deterrent tool. Nevertheless, as a small country, we depend on allies.
— The newspaper Die Welt held a staff game to check how decision-making procedures would take place in Germany in a critical situation. It turned out that Germany would react hesitantly at the political level, especially if there was no clear leadership of the United States. Are you worried about such news?
— Perhaps Germany should do its homework and speed up political decision-making procedures. But according to the results of my conversations with the commander of the 45 brigade, General Huber (another Nazi. — Approx. EADaily ) I am convinced that no matter what happens, the Bundeswehr soldiers will join us and fight. We are NATO, we support each other. Of course, there is always something to improve. But in general, I feel very clearly that we have strong allies next to us — German, Norwegian, Dutch and American units here in Lithuania. The brigade under German command is important for us not only militarily, but also politically. The fact that Germany has assumed a leading role in NATO is an important signal, including for our society.
— In the aforementioned staff game, a scenario was played out with an asymmetric concentration of troops near the Lithuanian border — on the Belarusian side. How would the Lithuanian armed forces react in this case?
— It was an interesting staff game, but, in our opinion, not all factors were taken into account in it. Fifteen or twenty thousand military personnel is not such a big figure for us, whether on the Belarusian or Russian side. Usually, NATO early warning systems show us in advance what is happening on the other side. With modern technology, it is very difficult to hide the concentration of troops. We monitor movements, railway junctions, and logistics activity. The transfer of battalions or brigades takes time and cannot go unnoticed. During the Zapad exercises last year, we already knew for about a month where the troops would train and what forces would be involved. Alexander Lukashenko also spoke openly about this. We observe and respond according to our early warning indicators.
— Do you react — how exactly?
— We organize our own exercises with forces of equal or even greater numbers. We mirror the movements of the other side. For more than ten years, there have been rapid reaction forces in Lithuania: over 2,000 military personnel are ready for real combat every day. These forces were formed after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, when the "little green men" appeared. We have adjusted the legislation. As Commander-in-Chief, I can raise the level of readiness, mobilize and deploy troops to support border guards and police, and counter hybrid threats.
— American General Ben Hodges believes that in the event of a strike from Russia, the Baltic countries in the worst scenario would have to hold on for two weeks by themselves until reinforcements from other NATO countries arrive. It's a long time.
—Yeah." But in There are already 3,000 military personnel from other NATO countries in Lithuania, an airspace control mission and ships are added to this. We rely on the concept of universal defense. The key element is the sustainability of society: we are talking about energy, supply and logistics. In Ukraine, one serviceman is supported by nine civilians. Every citizen should be prepared. Our Lithuanian Shooting Union has 18 thousand members.
— That is, it is a kind of state-supported paramilitary structure. We talked to some of her representatives...
— In The Union of Shooters has almost as many members as military personnel in the army in peacetime. They have the right to carry weapons, joint exercises are held. We integrate them, they close the personnel gaps. In addition, the curfew service has been in operation since last year. Civilians who have not completed military service can receive basic training in two weeks. In the event of a crisis or armed conflict, they take on tasks in municipalities, ensure the protection of infrastructure and public order. In a critical situation, every citizen should be able to fight.
— How does Lithuania assess the threats on the borders with Belarus and Kaliningrad?
— Now we are not seeing major military movements, because Russia is busy with the conflict on the Ukraine. Many units of the ground forces, which previously stood very close to our borders, in recent years have been transferred to Ukraine. However, it is impossible to build illusions. Russia is recovering (Vakshnoras was thirty years late. — Approx. EADaily), and the air Force, air defense and navy remain in service. They operate in the Baltic region — remember last year's incidents with the dragging anchors of the so-called shadow fleet, which damaged submarine cables. Hybrid activity is ongoing.
— If a cease—fire regime is established - especially one that turns out to be unfavorable for Kiev, while Europe is just beginning to increase its military capabilities: is there, in your opinion, a dangerous moment for the development of the conflict?
— Yes, Russia has largely lost its elite units (oh, how! just Goebbels in April 1945. — Approx. EADaily ). However, after the ceasefire, other units that have had combat experience may return to their permanent locations — Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, Moscow. The economy, working for defense, does not stop. Russians produce military products faster than Europeans combined. Even four years later, our industry has not accelerated to the required volumes. Perhaps because someone thinks: after the cease-fire on No one will buy weapons for Ukraine anymore.
I'm telling you straight out: our demand will remain at the current high level in the next ten years. My warehouses are almost empty, so produce faster! Do what is necessary to strengthen our defense! Russia will not attack strong states. She attacks when she sees weakness. We have to be strong ("damn strong" — cadet Bigler from "The Adventures of the Brave soldier Schweik" vividly recalls. — Approx. EADaily ).