Warsaw: Polish President Andrzej Duda has signed an order to deploy a special forces unit to Lithuania to strengthen the security of the upcoming NATO summit, which is set to take place on July 11-12 in Vilnius, Poland’s National Security Bureau said on Monday.
“President Andrzej Duda has signed an order to use Polish military forces in an inter-allied operation [to provide] military support for Lithuania,” the government agency said in a statement.
It added that the special forces unit would include up to 75 servicemen and other military personnel, two S-70i Black Hawk and one Mi-17 helicopters as well as an anti-drone system.
“The military forces will be deployed [in Lithuania] from July 4-17, 2023,” the government agency said.
The special forces unit will be used to “strengthen the security of NATO summit and enhance Lithuania’s defense capabilities,” the statement read. The Polish military will ensure the safety of the Lithuanian airspace as well as protect the population of the country and its key facilities, the government agency added.
UNI/SPUTNIK
