Lithuania set to purchase German Leopard 2 tanks

ATHENS

Lithuania is set to purchase German-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks, local media reported on Tuesday.

The State Defense Council on Tuesday agreed to purchase the tanks for the country’s planned new army division, announced Kestutis Budrys, a presidential advisor, according to the public broadcaster LRT.

Accordingly, the Defense Ministry has been tasked to start talks with German manufacturers and other countries interested in acquiring Leopard 2 tanks, he added.

Furthermore, to boost the country’s defense capabilities, the council also agreed that a division-level artillery regiment would also be established, while air defense and engineering battalions would be expanded to regiments.

“In the naval forces, a harbor and coastal defense service is being set up. There is also the addition of a Cyber Defense Board and other changes,” Budrys added.

The advisor noted: “It can be stated that there are no major changes in the assessment of the near-term military threats to Lithuania, but, of course, Russia remains a direct military threat to the entire (NATO) alliance.”