Four US Army soldiers confirmed to have been killed after going missing on training mission
Four American soldiers have died during a routine training mission in Lithuania, just miles from the Russian border, NATO officials confirmed. The troops, all members of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, went missing while conducting scheduled tactical exercises near Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. A military vehicle was also reported missing at the time.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed the incident during a visit to Warsaw, calling it “terrible news” and offering condolences to the soldiers’ families. “This is still early news, so we do not know the details,” Rutte told reporters. The U.S. Embassy in Vilnius released a statement confirming the deaths but did not disclose the cause of the incident.
The circumstances surrounding the soldiers’ deaths remain unclear, and an investigation is underway. The training site’s proximity to Russia—a region of heightened geopolitical tensions—has drawn attention, though there is no immediate indication of hostile involvement.
This marks a tragic loss for U.S. forces stationed in the Baltic region, where NATO has bolstered its presence in recent years. More details are expected as military officials continue their inquiry.
