A NATO military base is now under construction in Lithuania near its border with Russian ally Belarus that is set to house thousands of German troops when it’s completed in 2027. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Monday in Rudninkai, Lithuania’s Defense Ministry said the same day on X, formerly known as Twitter. Of the roughly 4,800 service members and 200 civilian contractors Germany has committed to send to Lithuania as part of a new defense brigade, about 80% of them will be housed at the new base, according to the ministry. Lithuania is expected to spend over $1 billion over the next three years to build the Rudninkai facility, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported, quoting Gen. Raimundas Vaiksnoras, Lithuania’s defense chief. U.S. Army battalions have been rotating through Lithuania since 2019, where a base in the town of Pabrade serves as a hub. That site is about 50 miles northeast of Rudninkai and also near the border with Belarus. Läs artikel