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Lithuania Launches Thunder Strike Military Drills Ahead of Russia-Belarus Zapad Exercises
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Lithuania has launched the Thunder Strike military training exercises, bringing together around 17,000 Lithuanian and allied troops ahead of the Zapad drills planned by Russia and Belarus later this month.
According to LRT on September 2, citing the Armed Forces report, Thunder Strike consolidates several smaller-scale drills into a single, two-month program. Training will be held at military ranges and in civilian areas, with convoys moving on public roads and military aircraft operating in the skies. The exercises will also feature simulations and sound equipment.
“Our goal is to focus military training on ensuring that all units achieve and maintain readiness to carry out the tasks of the country’s armed defense plan,” Chief of Defense Raimundas Vaikšnoras is quoted in a press release by the Armed Forces.
According to LRT, the exercises are directly linked to Lithuania’s real defense plans and their implementation. They will engage the Armed Forces Command, unit headquarters, military personnel, and local authorities in planning and conducting armed defense tasks.
Running through September and October, Thunder Strike includes four smaller-scale drills alongside annual exercises such as Engineer Thunder 2025, Iron Wolf 2025 II, and Strong Griffin 2025.
The training period coincides with Russia and Belarus preparing for, conducting, and wrapping up their Zapad exercises, which Lithuanian intelligence estimates could involve up to 30,000 troops.
Earlier, Poland began preparations for Iron Defender-25 (Żelazny Obrońca-25), one of the largest military exercises of 2025. The drills will involve more than 30,000 troops from Poland and allied nations, taking place across training grounds in Orzysz, Ustka, and Nowa Dęba, as well as in the Baltic Sea, airspace, and cyberspace.
