• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

NATO Walks Back Rutte's Remarks On US Troop Deaths In Lithuania

By RFE/RL's Belarus Service March 26, 2025

The fate of four US soldiers who went missing in Lithuania during a training exercise is "unknown," a NATO spokeswoman said, walking back Secretary-General Mark Rutte's comment about their alleged deaths.

Rutte told reporters in Warsaw on March 26 that he had received news about "four American soldiers who were killed in an incident in Lithuania."

But after Lithuanian authorities disputed Rutte's remark, NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart wrote on X that the search for the missing soldiers was ongoing.

"We regret any confusion about remarks [by Rutte] delivered on this today. He was referring to emerging news reports & was not confirming the fate of the missing, which is still unknown," she wrote.

Separately, the US Army confirmed that a vehicle -- an M88 Hercules -- used by the four soldiers had been found submerged in water.

Earlier, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said there was "no confirmation" that troops had died.

She told reporters at the Pabrade training ground, where the soldiers went missing, that a rescue operation was ongoing.

"This is a technically very complex operation. A search and rescue operation is under way. I want to emphasize that. There is no confirmation," she said.

Separately, the Lithuanian Armed Forces wrote on X, "At the moment, there is no evidence or information confirming the death of the troops."

US Army Europe and Africa said in a statement earlier that the four soldiers were "conducting scheduled tactical training" when they went missing on March 25.

The Pabrade training ground is located in eastern Lithuania, roughly 10 kilometers from the border with Belarus.

In a statement on March 26, the Lithuanian Army said the disappearance of the servicemen was reported at 4:45 p.m. local time on March 25, with official notification reaching Vilnius authorities by 7:20 p.m.

A search operation was launched involving military personnel, rescue services, and firefighters. Lithuanian police also have launched an investigation.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-soldiers-missing- lithuania-belarus/33360885.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.