The priority in international deployments in 2022 will remain on NATO, EU, UN and allied coalition-led operations and the Lithuanian National Military Training Operation in Ukraine.
“Contribution in international operations remains a critical expression of Lithuania’s international commitments and a means to enhance the NATO collective defence, European Common Security and Defence Policy, UN peacekeeping, multilateral and bilateral military cooperation,” says Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas.
Lithuania is set to join another two multinational operations. Basic operational capabilities without exceeding 30 civilian and military personnel will be contributed to the French-led Task Force Takuba. Lithuania will join the European Union Military Training Mission in Mozambique launched this year with 11 Lithuanian military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System from mid-2022.
A Lithuanian Force Protection Platoon will deploy to the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) as soon as November later this year to serve in composition of the Danish Company protecting the NATO operational headquarters forward operating base in Baghdad. The Lithuanian contribution to the mission will not total above 50 military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System.
Lithuania will retain the present levels of contributions to other multinational operations.
Next mandate for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) numbers up to 50, for the European Union Training Mission Mali and the European Training Mission in Central African Republic – up to 11, for the European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) - Operation ATALANTA and Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI – 30 and 20 Lithuanian military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System respectively. Lithuania’s contribution to the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) will not change nor exceed 5 personnel. Up to 40 Lithuanians will be mandated to be deployed to the United States-led Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, and up to 5 military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System – to the U.S.-initiated effort in the Strait of Hormuz.
The present maximum of 60 military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System is planned to be retained in the National Military Training Operation in Ukraine.
It should be noted that the mandate approved by the Seimas sets out limit numbers of military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System to be contributed to concrete multinational operations, while factual contributions will depend on a spectrum of circumstances, such as the requirement in the concrete operation and security situation in the country the Lithuanian personnel is deployed to, and more factors that are constantly assessed hand in hand with other operational partners.
