BERLIN — Construction has begun on the first German military base abroad. It is to be built in Lithuania. Berlin plans to move a brigade to the Baltic country by the end of the decade.

Lithuania and Germany agreed in December 2023 on a plan to station 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian German forces. Now, just over half a year later, construction of the largest military facility in Lithuanian history has begun in Vilnius, according to the Ministry of Defense. According to the Bundeswehr, the brigade is expected to enter service next year and reach full operational capability by 2027. In addition to personnel, 2,000 vehicles will be housed there, according to an infographic from the German Ministry of Defense.

While Germany will provide the troops, Lithuania will build the material infrastructure. This will be located at the Rūdninkai military training area in the southeast of the country and will cost Vilnius 125 million euros (139 million dollars).

Politico quoted a spokesman for the German Defense Ministry: previously reported Berlin assumes that the brigade will require “one-off investments of 6 to 9 billion euros,” most of which will be earmarked for the acquisition of weapons systems. In addition, annual operating costs of 800 million euros are to be expected.

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The German army is already present in Lithuania. Berlin has been leading the increased NATO presence in the country for six years. According to the Bundeswehr, 800 German soldiers are already serving in Lithuania on a rotation basis.

The Bundeswehr described the decision to deploy the 5,000-strong, operational heavy maneuver brigade as “a flagship project of the turning point in security policy.”

“Operations over a longer period of time and on this scale are new even for the Bundeswehr,” the service’s website states.

Shortly after Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz proclaimed a “turning point” – a fundamentally new era in terms of security on the European continent and Germany’s attitude to its military. German defense spending has increased significantly and the country has taken a more active role internationally. Berlin is numerically Kyiv’s second-largest supporter after the United States and has worked to position itself as a key NATO partner, particularly on the alliance’s eastern flank.

In the past, German politicians have often been reticent to demonstrate their military or diplomatic strength on the world stage. Russia’s actions in Ukraine, especially the invasion in 2022, have changed that.

In the other Baltic states, Canada and the UK have taken the lead. Two Canadian battalions are expected to arrive in Latvia by 2025, while the UK has pledged to provide a rapid deployment force that can be deployed to the region if needed.

The decision to permanently station German soldiers so close to Russia “brings the turning point to life,” said State Secretary of Defense Nils Hilmer this week at the ceremony to officially start construction work. “We know how valuable reliable support and solidarity are,” he added.

“Our aim is not to threaten or intimidate,” said Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė. But the country must have the certainty that it could make a foreign power that would test its defense forces regret this decision, she said.