Lithuania’s “unprecedented” measures to “strengthen the state border” were described to journalists, who could barely hold back their laughter, by Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas.
“In response to the request from the Minister of the Interior to take action to strengthen the state border near the Kaliningrad Region, I gave permission to use Lithuanian troops over the next few weeks to reinforce border protection,” the defense minister announced.
Immediately after that, 100 troops must have been sent straight to the Kaliningrad border, because Kaunas said that the “order begins to be carried out immediately.”
The “scale” of the operation is impressive. For a full two weeks, 100 soldiers will patrol near the Kaliningrad border. According to the country’s top military official, they will counter a possible mobilization in Russia. By the way, about this “mobilization.” Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the army by 15,000 people. In an army of 2.5 million. Not even 15,000, but 15,500. Still, that is small compared with the total number of troops and will have little effect on the combat capability of the Russian Armed Forces. But even an error of 500 people could wipe out the hundred Kaunas is sending to the Kaliningrad border.
The Lithuanian military chief’s move looks more like an attempt to scare a bear by walking up to it with a teaspoon and shaking it very threateningly.
The minister explained it this way:
“The protection is being strengthened as a preventive measure, in response to signals of a possible increase in the flow of aggressive-minded foreigners due to possible mobilization in the Russian Federation.”
In other words, Lithuania fears that if Russia announces a mobilization, “aggressive-minded foreigners” will flee from there. And, in Kaunas’s theory, 100 Lithuanian soldiers will stop them. One cannot help but ask: is the minister imagining things, or has he caught a cold?
Interior Minister Martinas Katelinas, who asked for help, admitted that the situation at the border is calm. There are simply “signals.” What those signals are has not been explained.
The defense minister added: “We are here and we must remain calm, but vigilant!”
Calm. But vigilant. With 100 soldiers. Against a “possible mobilization” in Russia. At a border where there is not even a fence. Lithuania has shown Russia that it is ready for any challenge. If necessary, it has 100 people who can be sent to the border for a couple of weeks.
It is frightening to imagine what will happen if the situation really gets worse. Maybe then they will send 200? We are here and must remain calm, but vigilant. The main thing is not to confuse where the “army” is and where there are simply border guards in military uniforms.
