Lithuanian and Polish soldiers train to protect the Suwalki corridor / Article

About one and a half thousand soldiers from Lithuania, Poland, the USA and Portugal tested various scenarios on how to protect the Suwalki corridor in the “Brave Griffin” tactical exercise. They are developed on the basis of the secret Orsha plan, which was adopted by Lithuania and Poland in 2022. It provides for interoperable measures on both sides of the border, guaranteeing security and responding to threats.

“These are very important lessons. I especially want to emphasize –

this is proof that Polish soldiers are ready to come to the aid of their Lithuanian ally and neighbor in case of need,” emphasized Polish President Andrzej Duda.

The Suwalki corridor connects Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia with other NATO and European Union (EU) countries. This is essential to receive military support from allies if necessary.

The publication “Politico” once called Suwalki “the most dangerous place in the world”. If Russia were to cut this artery by attacking or threatening a “hybrid war”, the Baltic states could be isolated from the Western alliance.

“I would not dare to claim that the Suwalki Corridor is one of the most dangerous places on Earth. But strategically, geographically, it is a place to which we must pay increased attention. The Suwalki Corridor is also included in NATO’s regional defense plans,” said Lithuanian President Gitan Nauseda.

Duda also stated that he had great doubts as to whether the Suwalki corridor would be the most dangerous place, Ukraine and the Gaza Strip being the most dangerous.

In turn, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurins Kasčuns said that “we often hear rumors that after the entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO, the importance of the Suwalki Corridor is no longer so important. I cannot agree with that. It is still a very important artery”.

“In terms of military mobility, everything must be done so that allies can come to the rescue as quickly as possible. But in terms of countermobility, so that obstacles are created for the enemy.

In such exercises, we must make sure that we are ready to deter the enemy and, if necessary, to defend the Suwalki artery,” emphasized the Lithuanian Defense Minister.

The threat to the Suwalki corridor has not disappeared. However, according to military analysts, now that Finland and Sweden have joined NATO, the alliance has many more ways to strengthen the defense of the Baltic states.

Report a bug