Europe Prepares for War as Germany Sends Up to 1,000 New Troops

Germany is preparing to order up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to serve with its permanent brigade in Lithuania this fall as European NATO members strengthen their eastern defenses against the threat of a Russian attack, according to a report published on Monday, Sept. 14. According to Bild, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has approved compulsory postings after the Bundeswehr failed to attract enough volunteers for the Lithuania-based unit.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The first mandatory assignments could begin this fall and affect fewer than 1,000 soldiers, several independent sources told the German outlet. Germany’s Defense Ministry was expected to brief senior representatives of the Bundestag’s Defense Committee about the decision on Monday. The measure is not a general mobilization or conscription of civilians. It concerns serving Bundeswehr personnel who could be assigned to Lithuania even if they did not volunteer for the deployment. Only about 60% of the positions required for the brigade have been filled voluntarily. The most serious shortages involve IT specialists, logistics personnel, cooks and enlisted soldiers. Bild reported that compulsory postings could currently affect as many as 20% of the brigade’s positions. The Bundeswehr hopes to reduce that figure to around 10% by the end of September by attracting more volunteers. The German military has conducted recruitment campaigns and offered familiarization trips to Lithuania for soldiers and their families. However, the remaining personnel decisions must be made soon because affected soldiers need to be notified, and then may challenge their assignments through legal procedures, and require time to plan a possible relocation. Other Topics of Interest ‘The Battlefield Has Gone Underground’: Khartiia Commander Reveals Ukraine’s Edge Over Russia Ihor “Kornet” Oboliensky said Ukrainian troops hold an advantage over Russian forces in underground warfare. “Voluntariness remains the top principle,” Bild reported. “But to guarantee the brigade’s operational readiness, compulsory assignments can no longer be avoided.” Germany reinforces NATO’s eastern flank Germany plans to station 4,800 soldiers and around 200 civilian personnel permanently in Lithuania by the end of 2027. The unit, officially known as the 45th Armored Brigade Lithuania, will be the first German combat brigade permanently based outside the country since the Bundeswehr was established in 1955. According to the Bundeswehr, the approximately 5,000-person heavy maneuver brigade is intended to protect NATO’s eastern flank following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Once fully operational, the brigade will include thousands of soldiers and approximately 2,000 military vehicles, NATO said. Lithuania borders Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. It is also close to the Suwalki Gap, a narrow corridor connecting Poland and the Baltic states that NATO considers particularly vulnerable in a potential conflict with Russia. Pistorius had previously insisted that the brigade should be staffed primarily by volunteers. During a visit to Lithuania in June, however, he acknowledged that compulsory assignments might be necessary and estimated that fewer than 1,000 soldiers could be affected. Tusk warns Russian escalation could reach NATO Germany’s decision comes as Poland also strengthens its security posture following Russian attacks close to its border. On Sunday, Sept. 13, a Russian drone attacked the locomotive of a Kyiv-Warsaw passenger train at the Yahodyn railway station in Ukraine’s Volyn region near Poland. Poland scrambled fighters during the attack, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an urgent meeting with government ministers, senior military commanders and intelligence chiefs. “The coming weeks and months will be a period of very intense activity on the Russian side, and unfortunately, we cannot rule out that this escalation will also affect our territory,” Tusk warned. The Polish prime minister said Russia’s escalating actions were becoming an immediate security concern for NATO countries bordering Ukraine, reinforcing calls for stronger military readiness across Europe. Yuliia Zavadska is a news writer at Kyiv Post. She has experience in breaking news coverage, fact-checking, and digital journalism, with a focus on fast, accurate reporting and clear storytelling. Before joining Kyiv Post, she worked as a news feed editor for several leading Ukrainian media outlets.