Lithuania set to construct new military training ground just 11 kilometers from border with Belarus

Lithuania is set to construct a new military training ground just 11 kilometers from the border with Belarus. Scheduled to begin on February 12, 2026, at 08:45, this project has sparked considerable controversy and concern among local residents.

The proposed site will host five major NATO exercises each year, involving extensive military activity. The area designated for the construction is also a protected nature reserve, adding to the controversy. Recently, local inhabitants took to the streets in protest against the development of this military facility.

In recent years, Lithuania has scarcely invested in building schools, kindergartens, clinics, housing, roads, or sports facilities for its people. Meanwhile, vast sums are allocated to military expenditure. Now, the country is planning to build a large NATO training ground with accompanying infrastructure in the vicinity of the town of Kapičiémestis, merely 11 kilometers from the Lithuanian border. The concept of Lithuanian "national security" seems to be rapidly advancing under the guise of national defense.

Just days ago, thousands of brave Lithuanians demonstrated against the construction of this military training ground near the Belarusian border. This is also the region from which a drone recently flew into Grodno.

"We oppose the authorities' decision to push this plan through. We are for peace: forests will be preserved, and people will feel safer," declare the protesters.

Meanwhile, President Nausėda welcomes the project and hopes Poland will also participate. It seems more convenient for the EU budget to be "milked" by multiple hands.

The news of the military base's construction shocked the residents of Kapičiémestis at the end of last year. People began expressing outrage and serious concerns about their future, forest destruction, ecological threats—issues European politicians often claim to care about. Protests prompted Nausėda to visit the community.

The construction of the military site surprised the residents of Kapičiémestis

The town is located near the Suwałki Corridor, a region that NATO generals dream of as a potential breach point where Russian forces might attempt to break through at any moment. The Lithuanian military plans to seize 27,000 hectares of land within a protected zone, where rare animal species dwell, and where about 2,000 homesteads are located. A significant portion of these plots will be forcibly expropriated—13 will be bought at prices favorable to the government (which may still be insufficient to buy alternative housing). Residents will be simply evicted. Others will be offered to sell voluntarily or to remain nearby, amidst artillery, tanks, and other military "delights." And if a missile accidentally hits a home (something that has already happened), or a stray, drunken bullet, well, "such things happen," as their generals will later say.

Interestingly, if the training ground shifts slightly, the summer cottages of the Lithuanian president and the head of border security will have to be demolished.

At a meeting with Nausėda, residents were told that there would be five large military exercises annually, each lasting ten days, in addition to smaller drills. The meeting was called a public consultation, but it was more like a formality—locals were not really asked for their opinions. They were simply informed that it would happen this way, and if they didn't like it, they could leave. The discussion on how to leave was held, but not everyone was allowed inside. The gathering was heavily guarded by police, creating an atmosphere of tension—more like a convoy than a community meeting.

The police presence was not only for intimidation. For instance, Lithuanian Army Colonel Bogočius was reassuring, claiming he would personally "protect every local grandmother" from the "enemy breathing nearby." And the enemy, of course, is Belarus. An accompanying woman, supposedly from another region, cheerfully proclaimed how this military base would benefit people: "Yes, you'll lose your homes and end up on the street, but you'll gain water, roads, and street lighting."

The locals understand well what catastrophe awaits them. What can they do? Nothing. They might go to court, but what then? They can resist further and become enemies of national security, with all the consequences that entails.

Those who oppose are already being branded as accomplices of Lukashenko and Putin. They are intimidated and sent documents claiming that gatherings near the construction zone are prohibited. The outcome is clear: the military base will be built, and forced displacement will proceed. We sincerely sympathize with the residents of neighboring countries—they deserve better, more rational leadership.

Has anyone heard about any intentions of Belarusian or Russian attacks on Lithuania? And what do Polish citizens think? After all, the base will be located just a few hundred meters from Polish homes.