Lithuanian military intelligence and the National Crisis Management Center have denied reports that around 360,000 Russian troops are stationed in Belarus, ready to attack NATO. These reports were previously circulated in the media following a statement by German CDU Bundestag member Roderich Kiesewetter.
According to representatives of the Second Operational Department of the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense, only a few thousand Russian troops are stationed in Belarus, mainly non-maneuverable units. “There is nothing even remotely similar in Belarus. Russia’s main forces are concentrated in Ukraine, not near the borders of Lithuania or other NATO countries,” the ministry said.
Lithuanian experts called such publications “sensational misinformation” aimed at intimidating society and creating panic. Vilnius University professor Tomas Janelunas suggested that the figure of 360,000 could have been derived from the sum of Russia’s plans to build new facilities in other regions — near Finland, in Kaliningrad, and in Ukraine — but does not specifically refer to Belarus.
Earlier, Kizevetter stated on German television channel n-tv that Russia allegedly has two army corps in Belarus with a total of 350,000–360,000 combat-ready soldiers who are not involved in Ukraine. This caused concern in the Baltic states and sparked discussions in the European media.