In Lithuania, experts criticize the organization of exercises in which soldiers died
– I don’t understand what this vehicle could do in a clearing that led to the swamp. The investigation must determine this – said military commentator Aleksandras Matonis in the LRT Forum program. He pointed out that the training ground in Podbrodzie is divided into zones. Some are allowed to use explosives, in others not, and special areas are designated for various exercises. According to Lrytas.lt, the place where M 88 entered the swamp, also has its own specificity. – This is a territory where a battalion -size unit can maneuver. It was there that maybe a vehicle was sent to perform a task. But over the past year, artillery training grounds were set up there. Heavy combat equipment is constantly buzzing there. Until now, all who used this territory knew, had the same tactical maps, very small, on which everything was marked – including the beards of existing streams, bridges where you can ride, and where not, on some public roads there are signs on which the caterpillar equipment is forbidden – Matonis in LRT said.
Experts do not understand why the car of American soldiers was at the swamp
The expert repeated the words « I don’t understand » several times. According to Lrytas.lt, soon after the commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Raimundas Vaikšnor, who appeared in the same program, he emphasized that he did not want to talk about the details of the situation.
Pre -trial investigation is underway. Everything will be explained. You can speculate, but I would not like to. I am a representative of a serious organization and if I start saying anything, it will hurt her reputation
– said Vaikšers.
And he added:
The action took place in the dark at dawn. 4-5 am, because at the same time the connection was broken. One version is that several battalion rescue wagons got stuck and this vehicle was sent to pull them out. It is possible that they were taking shortcuts. Maybe they were in a hurry. I don’t want to speculate why it happened as it happened.
Lithuania. The death of American soldiers at the training ground
There are many more words of criticism. Retired colonel Vaidotas Malinionis, who appeared in the « Žinių radijo » program, emphasized that The army has no full control over a specific area where the accident occurred. On the other hand, Nerijus Zelenkis, head of the Foundation for the Restoring and Protection of Wetland Areas, caused a storm, claiming that the wetland was not marked on the maps. Some people repel his allegations. The fact is, however, that the issue of selecting the swamp on the maps is not clearly resolved and may be crucial to explain the causes of this drama.
The soldier criticizes the organization of exercises at the training ground in Podbrodzie
A lot of emotions were also evoked by the statements of the Sergeant of the US Army Scranton. According to Lrytas.lt, he stated in an interview with a journalist on Tikktoku that he has 15 years of experience and has been working on M 88 for many years, i.e. in a vehicle where Americans lost their lives. He also pointed out that he knew the area of the training ground in Podbrodzie perfectly.
I usually don’t start talking about matters related to the army. But this story moved me because I have been a tank mechanic for 15 years. I spent about half of it at the platform M 88. And in 2020 I was at the same training ground
– he said.
– The questions concern how it all happened. I know that rescue missions are very stressful, especially when we talk about heavy equipment, and that’s what we are dealing with M 88. When you perform rescue missions, you know that the risk is high. But as leaders, we try to minimize this risk – said the sergeant.
The wife of the deceased soldier has questions in connection with the organization of exercises at the training ground
Georgia Franco, a widow of one of the soldiers, said in the media that her husband woke up at night and was going on a rescue mission, and she had questions about where the M 88 accompanying vehicle was, as it usually happens. Sergeant noticed the same attention. Scranton. – Many times, when I sent M 88 to a mission, I also sent another vehicle. So either they should have an additional car with them or I would send additional mechanics. This is how operators worked in the past – he said. Lrytas.lt points out that the military also emphasized that the training ground in Podbrodzie is not an ordinary training ground.
As for the area, it is very difficult, very sticky, swampy. We had to perform very long missions there. Once, with our team M 88, we performed a mission lasting 24 hours. It all depends on the area. So I understand how it could happen. I am with my thoughts and prayers with soldiers
He finished.
The car with four American soldiers disappeared on Tuesday, March 25. After a few days, he managed to get him out of the swamp. Three people were found inside. The corpse of the fourth soldier was found on Tuesday, April 1, exactly a week after the accident.
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Illegal crossing of the border? Belarus publishes controversial information
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@Usarmyeuraf/x, @LTU_ARMY/X, Ministry of National Defense/X
Experts are wondering what happened that the military car entered the swamp.
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Dante Gogo Taitano, one of the deceased soldiers.
