Brigadier General Christoph Huber, the commander of the new brigade in Lithuania, is confident that NATO can deter Russia from attacking, though he remains aware of the risks involved in this unprecedented Bundeswehr project. Speaking to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” while in Lithuania, Huber stated, “We have sworn an oath: to bravely defend the rights and freedom of the German people.” He stressed that this commitment could involve the risk of life, clarifying, “That is part of our profession. It includes death and injury.” He described the initiative in Lithuania as a form of ‘lived deterrence,’ meaning “the ability to fight so that we do not have to fight.”
Despite the partial withdrawal of the United States from Europe, Huber insists on maintaining U.S. protection for the Federal Armed Forces brigade along NATO’s eastern flank. He expressed full confidence in American support, stating, “I have absolutely no doubt that Americans will stand by us in a military conflict, which we hopefully do not witness.” The NATO protective shield extends across the eastern flank, stretching from Finland down to Bulgaria on the Black Sea. Huber concluded on this point, “NATO is the most successful defensive alliance in human history. And that won’t be a surprise.”
The brigade is planned to reach full strength of approximately 5,000 soldiers by the end of 2027 and will involve transferring a total of 2,000 military vehicles and tanks to Lithuania. The core of the force will be composed of battalions from Augustdorf (North Rhine-Westphalia) and Oberviechtach (Bavaria). According to the Ministry of Defence, the establishment of the brigade will cost between four and six billion euros, plus annual operating costs of one billion euro.
Huber expects that, with the exception of a few cases, recruitment for the brigade’s roles will proceed through voluntary enlistment. He acknowledged that there will be challenges in areas where the military is already facing shortages nationally, such as IT and logistics. However, he affirmed that soldiers have sworn an oath, and they will fulfill it wherever it is needed. The ultimate goal remains establishing “a ready, combat-capable tank brigade in Lithuania,” a goal he assured the reader, “We will accomplish this.”
