Thu Mar 27 16:48:19 UTC 2025: ## NATO Backtracks on Report of Four Missing US Soldiers’ Deaths
**WARSAW, POLAND** – NATO retracted a statement Wednesday suggesting the deaths of four US soldiers missing after a training exercise in Lithuania, clarifying that the Secretary-General’s remarks were based on preliminary reports and that the soldiers’ fate remains unknown.
The soldiers, from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, disappeared Tuesday during a tactical training exercise near Pabradė, Lithuania. Their armored vehicle was later found submerged in a body of water. Recovery efforts are underway involving US Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, and civilian agencies.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, speaking in Warsaw, initially reported the soldiers’ deaths. However, NATO subsequently issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) clarifying that the search was ongoing and expressing regret for the earlier, premature announcement. The US Army has also stated that the soldiers’ fate remains unconfirmed.
President Donald Trump, when questioned about the incident Wednesday evening, stated he had not yet been briefed.
The incident occurred at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground, close to the Belarusian border. Lithuania, along with Latvia and Estonia, shares a complex relationship with Russia and Belarus, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These Baltic nations, all NATO members, have been staunch supporters of Ukraine.
First Piper 