Four US army soldiers are missing near the Lithuanian capital, it has been confirmed.
The soldiers in question were reportedly carrying out scheduled tactical training just outside the country's capital of Vilnius at the time of their disappearance.
A vehicle is also missing.
Speaking on the matter, the US embassy in Vilnius said in a statement issued today (March 26): "The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting scheduled tactical training at the time of the incident."
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"Search and recovery efforts are underway," it adds, as per The Independent.
The Lithuanian military said in a separate statement: "A possible scene has now been identified, and a search and rescue operation is underway."
The military has said that it will provide updates on the search efforts when new information becomes available.
Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, the V Corps commanding general, has thanked Lithuanian officials for their help so far.
"I would like to personally thank the Lithuanian Armed Forces and first responders who quickly came to our aid in our search operations," he said.
"It’s this kind of teamwork and support that exemplifies the importance of our partnership and our humanity regardless of what flags we wear on our shoulders."
The soldiers and their vehicle were first reported missing yesterday (March 25).
According to Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT, they were at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, which is located around six miles from from the Belarus border.
Belarus is allied with Russia, while Lithuania is part of NATO and has long voiced its support for Ukraine.
Lithuania joined NATO is 2004, 14 years after it declared independence from the now-defunct Soviet Union.
Russia had occupied the country for 50 years up until that point.
With Russia and Lithuania's history in mind, there's long been tension between the two countries.
Topics: News, Military, US News, World News
Niamh Shackleton