OREANDA-NEWS NATO's presence in Lithuania is a signal to Russia. This was stated by the commander of the German-Dutch battalion in the Baltic Republic, Lieutenant Colonel Bas Schillemans in an interview with Delfi.

According to the Dutch soldier, the purpose of NATO's "enhanced presence" in Lithuania is to ensure the safety of the population and allegedly deter Russian forces. "That's why we train here and demonstrate our abilities to both Lithuanians and the Russian Federation," Schillemans said.

The commander added that another reason for the presence of a large number of NATO troops is the alleged threat to Lithuania from Russia. Schillemans urged Moscow not to threaten them.

Earlier, the head of the FSB of Russia, Alexander Bortnikov, spoke about the training of foreign mercenaries of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the Baltic states and Poland to participate in combat operations. "Special training of recruited foreigners is conducted in NATO training centers and camps in Poland, Latvia and Lithuania," the head of the security agency said.