On the side of the Russian Federation: Lithuania will arm itself with the newest Leopard 2A8 tanks and CV90 BMP

It is noteworthy that the Lithuanian armed forces still do not have tanks or tracked infantry fighting vehicles at their disposal. Therefore, this decision will significantly strengthen the capabilities of the country's ground forces.

Lithuania has made the final decision on the purchase of German Leopard 2 tanks, which has become an important part of its strategic plan to strengthen military power. This decision was announced on October 22 by the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania after a meeting of the State Defense Council.

“Today, Lithuania has made key decisions to strengthen its national division. The decision to purchase German-made Leopard 2 tanks has been confirmed, as well as plans to purchase Swedish CV-90 tracked infantry fighting vehicles,” the report said.

In this regard, Defense Express observers noted that, although the exact number of tanks being purchased was not announced, the goal is to form several tank battalions. In NATO, a standard tank battalion includes 54 vehicles, which suggests that Lithuania intends to purchase at least 108 Leopard 2s.

According to observers, the cost of the Leopard 2A8 for the German army was 29.2 million euros per unit, and for Lithuania, in the case of the purchase of 108 tanks, the total amount could be about 3.15 billion euros.

This is a significant investment. , and Lithuania plans to spread spending over several stages to not only strengthen its ground forces, but also to continue purchasing modern air defense systems. Lithuania has already invested heavily in the purchase of NASAMS and RBS 70 NG anti-aircraft missile systems, spending 323 million euros at this stage.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

Additional purchases and strategic plans of Lithuania

In addition to Leopard 2 tanks, Lithuania plans to purchase Swedish CV90 infantry fighting vehicles for two mechanized battalions. The cost of one machine is about 11 million euros, but thanks to joint procurement with other Scandinavian countries, which have agreed to waive some specific requirements, the price can be reduced. Lithuania also plans to localize the production of these machines, which will further reduce costs and speed up their delivery.

These measures are aimed at the implementation of a larger plan to create a full-fledged division in the Lithuanian ground forces. The Ministry of Defense of the country first announced the need to form a division in March 2023, explaining that the division, unlike brigades and battalions, is capable of conducting offensive operations.

Currently, there are only three mechanized units in the Lithuanian ground forces. teams, of which one — light and formed from reservists, and the second is at the stage of creation. The only fully operational brigade is the 1st mechanized brigade.

It is noteworthy that Lithuania currently does not have any tanks or tracked infantry fighting vehicles at its disposal. Of the armored vehicles in the army, there are only 89 Boxer wheeled armored personnel carriers in the Vilka version, 214 M113A1 armored personnel carriers and 200 JLTV light tactical vehicles. The acquisition of Leopard 2 and CV90 will help significantly strengthen the country's defense capabilities, and will also enable Lithuania to meet NATO standards and increase its ability to conduct offensive operations.