Pilną laidos vaizdo įrašą rasite apsilankę lrt.lt portale:
www.lrt.lt/mediateka
LRT © 2017
Lithuanian Special Operation Forces after forging close ties with American colleagues in Afghanistan now are country’s best strategic hope if Russia tries to destabilize their homeland.
A scene from artificial city near Vilnius that was built last especially for training shows Lithuanian Special Forces getting a lift by NATO helicopters.
This was repeated many times during real missions in Afghanistan and now the training scenario envisions a threat in Lithuanian city, most probably modelled by Russian little green operations in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.
Lithuania’s best strategic hope in a case of war lies within its own ‘Green boys’. A term, however, has nothing to do with Russian little green men that acted in Crimea, but has historical roots in guerrilla warfare that Lithuanians fought in local forests against Soviet Union during 1944-1953 period.
Lithuanian ‘Green boys’ or “Forest brothers’ as they are also called put one the longest resistance in all Soviet Union.
‘We look how a candidate act within the extremely stressful environment’, one of the modern ‘Green boys’ explained the process of selections, hiding his real name and asking to change his voice, because everything about Lithuanian special forces is secret.
They made their name after a decade of operations in Afghanistan where squadron named ‘Kite’ fought alongside Americans and other NATO partners, riding on their motorbikes much faster in various terrains than all conventional NATO vehicles.
‘An organization that was formed less than ten years ago, right know is one of our most capable partners’, said Commander of Unites States Special Operations Raymond A. Thomas who fought with Lithuanians in Afghanistan and now helps in training back here in Lithuania.
New York Times wrote in January that American Special Forces now have a “persistent” presence here with Baltic special operations troops, after forging close ties with them in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Lithuanian Special Forces counted on NATO helicopters back in Afghanistan and they still lack their own air platform, hoping to get one in the nearest future.
‘We know are looking to rent them and we will discuss to purchase them after 2022’, said commander of Lithuanian army Jonas Vytautas Zukas.
In response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the clandestine war in eastern Ukraine, Lithuania has rapidly increased its defense spending, planning to reach 2 percent of GDP next year. It also created its own rapid reaction force that is capable to respond to any military threat immediately and returned conscription.
NATO Allies sent battalions of around 1000 troops to each of the three Baltic States and Poland.
Lithuanian SOF training in an artificial city
Sound bite (Lithuanian), soldier of Lithuanian Special Forces, no name given, voice changed: We have consistent selection when we select the most capable soldiers and then we have a basic training where we identify their characteristics and develop them during further training.
Cutaway
Sound bite (Lithuanian), soldier of Lithuanian Special Forces, no name given, and voice changed: We create special situations for candidates and we look how they act within the extremely stressful environment, make decisions, manage themselves, and not hesitate.
Lithuanian SOF jump out of the plane
Sound bite (Lithuanian), JONAS VYTAUTAS ZUKAS, Commander of Lithuanian Army: We think about transport helicopters for Special Forces or rapid reaction forces, but our budged is already occupied for the couple of years. We know are looking to rent them and we will discuss to purchase them after 2022.
Lithuanian SOF in Afghanistan, taken by US helicopter
Sound bite (English), RAYMOND A. THOMAS, Commander of United States Special Operations Command: I had a great pleasure working with Lithuanian special operation forces on several occasions, I worked with them in Afghanistan when I was a commander of NATO stuff. Just a tremendous organization. We are very proud of evolution of Lithuanian SOF. An organization that was formed less than ten years ago, right know is one of our most capable partners, both in a combat zone, where we work with them and certainly here with this challenging mission.
Lithuanian SOF riding on motorbikes in Afghanistan
Sound bite (Lithuanian), ALEKSANDRAS MATONIS, author of a book about Lithuanian Special Forces 'Soldiers of Gabriel': You can find soldiers who had 10 or 12 missions in Afghanistan and that shows the price which they paid not only as soldiers, but as family members or fathers.
Lithuanian SOF training in a sea
30 май 2017
