Lithuania and Poland announce the start of joint large-scale military exercises, named “Orsha” within the framework of the “Brave Griffin 24/II” maneuvers. These actions are part of the large-scale NATO exercises titled “Resolute Defender”.
What they are preparing for
To better understand the purpose of the training operation, it’s worth noting that Orsha is a city in Belarus. It is located in the Vitebsk region, whose border coincides with the border of Belarus with Lithuania and Latvia. Essentially, Orsha is a point from which, in the event of military actions, the passage of troops and machinery towards the Baltics and Poland would be arranged. This is one of the reasons why it is important to prepare for an offense here.
The second reason is the Suwalki Corridor. It is approximately 100 km long and separates the territory of the Russian Kaliningrad region from Belarus. According to American military experts, this territory is potentially one of the hottest points in Europe. There are significant infrastructural and organizational shortcomings here, which impede a quick NATO response in case of threats. Intelligence data suggests that the Russian regime would activate this region in the event of escalating conflict with NATO member countries.
Focus on problems
That is why large-scale military exercises named “Orsha” will be held here over the next few days. Approximately 1500 servicemen from Poland, Lithuania, the USA, and Portugal are involved in these exercises, taking place in the area of the Suwalki Corridor.
The training plan “Orsha”, developed jointly by Lithuanian and Polish military, envisages practicing a defensive scenario in this region. The name of the plan refers to a historical victory of the armies of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Crown of Poland under the command of Hetman Konstanty Ostrogski near Orsha, which took place in 1514.
It is expected that the presidents of Lithuania and Poland, Andzey Duda and Gitanas Nauseda, will personally be present during the maneuvers, where they will meet with commanders and observe the exercises. This is an important signal to international observers, including Russia, that the exercises are a priority for these countries and they are given due attention.
Loud beginning
During his visit to Lithuania in January, Andżej Duda emphasized the need to pay “special attention and control” to the Suwalki Corridor, and also announced an increase in military presence in this region.
For the Lithuanian military, these exercises will mark the beginning of national exercises, in which about 10,000 reservists are planned to be involved by June 2024.
General Waldemaras Rupshis, the commander of the Lithuanian army, stated that the goal of these maneuvers is to “check defense plans” and to send a “clear signal of firm determination and commitment to NATO members to mutual defense.
