Lithuania hosts major multinational drills
Lithuania is hosting multinational military exercise Strong Griffin 2026, with 2,500 troops and 500 units of equipment. Forces from Lithuania, the United States, Poland, the Netherlands, France, and Portugal are participating, alongside partners Ukraine and Moldova. The drills run September 2nd to 20th in the Švenčionys district, near Belarus. They enhance interoperability and readiness. A primary focus is integrating advanced drone warfare, including reconnaissance, target detection, long-range strikes, and countering hostile unmanned aircraft systems. Training includes defensive and offensive operations across urban and forested terrains, honing skills in maneuver, planning, coordination, and decision-making under dynamic tactical conditions. The exercises underscore heightened security concerns along NATO's eastern flank amid ongoing conflicts. Lithuania also conducts separate military exercises in its southern half, across 12 municipalities. These national drills, September 14th to 18th, prepare troops for various military threats. Neighboring Belarus also began its own military exercises, near its borders with Poland and Lithuania, September 15th to 18th. The Belarusian Defense Ministry describes these as "defensive," aimed at protecting sovereignty, territorial integrity, border security, and combating drones. These concurrent exercises highlight the complex security environment in Eastern Europe. The multinational presence in Lithuania demonstrates collective defense commitments and deterrence in a geopolitically sensitive area.
