04 July 2025, 19:00

Analyst comments on deployment of Bundeswehr brigade near Belarus

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MINSK, 4 July (BelTA) – In the latest episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA's YouTube channel, Doctor of Historical Sciences Nikolai Platoshkin commented on the fact that a German Bundeswehr brigade stationed in Lithuania is larger than the entire Lithuanian army.

Speaking about the militarization of the countries bordering Belarus, Nikolai Platoshkin noted: “For the first time since 1944, when the Germans were driven out of Lithuania, a full-fledged Bundeswehr brigade has been deployed there right at your doorstep. Previously, a NATO enhanced battle group led by Germany, with approximately 700 personnel was stationed there. The personnel within the group rotated out every three months. There were also Spaniards there, and who else wasn't there.”

“But this brigade of 5,000 people is a full-fledged combat unit of the Bundeswehr, subordinate to the armored division in Munster. These are not some kind of temporary forces, these are 5,000 people. This is more than the entire Lithuanian army. And don’t tell me that this is just for show given the huge amount of money earmarked for this,” said the expert.

Nikolai Platoshkin went on saying: “They say that this is meant to prevent Russia and Belarus from making a breach near Kaliningrad. And who harbors such plans? You see, now there is one brigade, but later there may be two. And it is noteworthy that this brigade is German. There was nothing like this after the war. German troops in Europe, seriously? So many people died. Again, it was a personal decision of Merz. Scholz opposed these plans; he was against not because he is dovish. He just did not want to drag Germany too much into this confrontation. He followed the principle: ‘take the money and leave me alone’.”

Speaking about NATO 5% spending pledge, the doctor of historical sciences noted that “the Germans put their own spin on this pledge.” “They agreed to spend 5% of GDP on military purposes. But only 3.5% out of 5% is meant purely for military uses. And 1.5% will be spent on roads and ports. In other words, they weaseled their way out of it. But this is still a very large rearmament program. There is nothing good about it,” Nikolai Platoshkin said.