Four Missing US Army Troops In Lithuania Found Dead: NATO

Original article here

An unusual and alrming headline is emerging out Europe, as a major search was underway since yesterday for four US Army soldiers who had gone missing in Lithuania. The Associated Press in a breaking headline is now reporting they are dead:

NATO CHIEF SAYS 4 MISSING US SOLDIERS WERE KILLED: AP

The incident of the missing personnel and military search operation was first reported by Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT and subsequently picked up in European media. They first disappeared on Tuesday, along with a military vehicle, and belonged to the US Army’s 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.

“A possible scene has now been identified, and a search and rescue operation is underway,” the Lithuanian military said in a statement hours prior to the announcement of their deaths.

The troops had been undergoing tactical training at the time the went missing. According to The Guardian:

The Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported that four US soldiers and a vehicle were reported missing on Tuesday afternoon during an exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, a town located less than 10km (6 miles) from the border with Belarus.

The Belarus angle and the proximity of the border could be alarming, given the US essentially considers it an ‘enemy’ state given its support to the Russian side of the Ukraine war.

“A search operation is currently under way, involving military personnel, rescue services, and firefighters. Lithuanian police also have launched an investigation,” US state-funded RFERL writes. According to further statements and details:

Lithuanian officials have given few details, with Gintautas Ciunis, a military spokesman, confirming only that “these are foreign soldiers.”

US Army Europe and Africa on March 26 confirmed that the soldiers had gone missing, saying in a statement that they were “conducting scheduled tactical training at the time of the incident.”

“I would like to personally thank the Lithuanian Armed Forces and first responders who quickly came to our aid in our search operations,” said Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, the V Corps commanding general.

Lithuania has been a NATO member since 2004, and is one of the Baltic countries which has been outspoken and hawkish in condemning Moscow.