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riversedge

(74,677 posts)
Wed Mar 26, 2025, 01:19 PM Wednesday

4 American soldiers who went missing in Lithuania have died, NATO leader says

Source: AP






Updated 12:38 PM CDT, March 26, 2025

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania have died, but that he did not yet know the details.

A U.S. official would say only that the four soldiers were involved in a training accident. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, would not comment on the status of the soldiers.

Rutte said during a trip to Warsaw that he had received word of the deaths of the four soldiers and that his thoughts were with their families and with the United States.

“This is still early news so we do not know the details. This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones,” Rutte told reporters in Warsaw. ...........






4 U.S. Soldiers Go Missing During a Lithuanian Training Mission

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/world/europe/us-army-soldiers-missing-lithuania.html?unlocked_article_code1.604.R_in.2wpHlarWq8PT&smidurl-share

A U.S. military official said the soldiers were in a heavy vehicle, which may have sunk in a swamp in eastern Lithuania, near the border with Belarus.


Listen to this article · 2:19 min Learn more

Two military helicopters fly over a tank through smoky skies.
The U.S. military often conducts training missions in Lithuania, a NATO member. The four soldiers had been conducting tactical training in Prabade, a city in eastern Lithuania.Credit...Valda Kalnina/EPA, via Shutterstock

By Michael Levenson and Eric Schmitt


March 26, 2025Updated 12:39 p.m. ET


Four U.S. Army soldiers went missing while on a training mission in Lithuania, prompting a search for their vehicle, which may have been submerged in a swamp, military officials said on Wednesday.

The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, had been conducting scheduled tactical training in a training area near Pabrade, a city in eastern Lithuania, near the border with Belarus, the U.S. military said.

The U.S. Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Lithuanian law enforcement officials and others were looking for the soldiers, the U.S. military said, adding that "search and recovery efforts are underway."

The four soldiers were in an M88 Recovery Vehicle, essentially a giant Army tow truck that is designed to rescue disabled tanks from the battlefield, according to a U.S. Army official in Europe.




This is Russia's hybrid war
Quote
Mario 🇺🇸🇵🇱🇺🇦🇪🇺
@PawlowskiMario
·
1h
BREAKING NATO‼️: FOUR U.S. SOLDIERS FOUND DEAD IN LITHUANIA

This isn't just a tragic military accident--it's a geopolitical earthquake.

Four U.S. troops went missing near the Belarus border during NATO drills. Now they're confirmed dead. No official cause yet--but let's be

This isn't just a tragic military accident--it's a geopolitical earthquake.

Four U.S. troops went missing near the Belarus border during NATO drills. Now they're confirmed dead. No official cause yet--but let's be brutally real: this stinks of hybrid warfare, sabotage, or psychological pressure from the Russian side.



Pabradė is not some random location--it's a key NATO training hub, just miles from one of the most volatile borders in Europe.

We've been warning for weeks: Russia is testing limits, and NATO isn't ready for what's coming. And while MAGA clowns scream about defending "our border," American soldiers are dying on the real front line of freedom.








Read more: https://apnews.com/article/lithuania-pabrade-us-soldiers-military-training-c89957fc6a62da8624202095920630e1



I had done a quick search and this came up. I do not yet see an article.
22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
4 American soldiers who went missing in Lithuania have died, NATO leader says (Original Post) riversedge Wednesday OP
We have Russian assets in the admin being careless with classified intel IronLionZion Wednesday #1
...appears they drowned Ellipsis Wednesday #2
Thank you.. for NYTimes link. I will post in OP riversedge Wednesday #6
Dear God... calimary Wednesday #18
map..... riversedge Wednesday #3
Four U.S. Army soldiers based in Fort Stewart, Georgia. nt ImNotGod Wednesday #4
Confirmed - Reuters: mzmolly Wednesday #5
And how much is pootin paying slobby for dead American military personnel these days? SheltieLover Wednesday #7
Yes, thank you for the reminder! niyad Wednesday #8
YW! SheltieLover Wednesday #9
bENgHaZi AStern Wednesday #10
I just added an AP story which confirms the 4 soldiers have died. riversedge Wednesday #11
There are at least 3 hatches on top of the vehicle. LudwigPastorius Wednesday #12
And Krasnov fuckery... Mr. Evil Wednesday #16
Might have flipped off a tank trail into the water Mysterian Wednesday #22
"they knew what they signed up for" tishaLA Wednesday #13
So sorry to hear about this loss. democrank Wednesday #14
Not a fan of the hyperbole around this, which appears to be an accident... Wounded Bear Wednesday #15
INDEED Skittles Wednesday #21
Lemme guess how Russia Boy responds. AmericaUnderSiege Wednesday #17
AFTER a review by forum hosts LOCKING Omaha Steve Wednesday #19
UNLOCKING until the hosts rule on the update Omaha Steve Wednesday #20

riversedge

(74,677 posts)
3. map.....
Wed Mar 26, 2025, 01:25 PM
Wednesday




Visegrád 24
@visegrad24
BREAKING:

4 U.S. soldiers have been found dead in Lithuania near the border with Belarus.

They and their tracked vehicle went missing during military exercises


riversedge

(74,677 posts)
11. I just added an AP story which confirms the 4 soldiers have died.
Wed Mar 26, 2025, 02:16 PM
Wednesday

May their families and friends find peace.


LudwigPastorius

(11,990 posts)
12. There are at least 3 hatches on top of the vehicle.
Wed Mar 26, 2025, 02:24 PM
Wednesday

I don't see how they wouldn't be able to get out in time.

Maybe if it ended up upside down in the water, but how is an 11 foot wide, 50 ton vehicle going to flip over?

I certainly wouldn't dismiss the possibility of Russian fuckery here.


Mr. Evil

(3,218 posts)
16. And Krasnov fuckery...
Wed Mar 26, 2025, 02:47 PM
Wednesday

and Gabbard fuckery... and Hegseth fuckery... and Muskolini fuckery... and Marco fuckery...

tishaLA

(14,585 posts)
13. "they knew what they signed up for"
Wed Mar 26, 2025, 02:43 PM
Wednesday

The kind, comforting words whatshisname offers to the families of the fallen.

Wounded Bear

(61,611 posts)
15. Not a fan of the hyperbole around this, which appears to be an accident...
Wed Mar 26, 2025, 02:47 PM
Wednesday

It's hype like that that will ramp up tensions and really trigger an incident.

As a veteran, I sympathize with the families of the soldiers who died.

 

AmericaUnderSiege

(777 posts)
17. Lemme guess how Russia Boy responds.
Wed Mar 26, 2025, 02:48 PM
Wednesday

Something along the lines of "We need to bring our troops home from this dangerous and obsolete thing called NATO"?

Omaha Steve

(104,937 posts)
19. AFTER a review by forum hosts LOCKING
Wed Mar 26, 2025, 03:28 PM
Wednesday

DUPE OF https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143426391

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