NATO explained Rutte’s words about the American military missing in Lithuania

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was mistaken when he announced the deaths of four missing American soldiers in Lithuania, alliance spokeswoman Allison Hart said on the social network X.

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“The search for four missing persons during military exercises in Lithuania by the American military continues. We regret the misunderstanding that arose in connection with the remarks of the NATO Secretary General on this issue,” Hart said.

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The representative of the Western bloc noted that Rutte in his statement only referred to media reports, and the fate of the servicemen remains unknown.

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The day before, the command of the US Army in Europe announced the discovery of the M88 BREM underwater, on which the American military who disappeared in Lithuania were traveling.

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The exercises took place at the General Sylvester Zhukauskas training ground near Pabrade in eastern Lithuania. The missing military became known on Tuesday afternoon, and since then a search and rescue operation has been underway involving Lithuanian and foreign military personnel, as well as helicopters from the Lithuanian Air Force and the Lithuanian Border Guard Service.