Lithuania: 13 US soldiers injured in collision of armored personnel carriers

Four Strykers smashed into each other during a road march through Lithuania on Thursday, a U.S. Army Europe spokeswoman has confirmed to The Baltic Review.

On Thursday, four US Stryker armored vehicles, from 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, that were moving in a convoy were involved in an accident on the Prienai-Kaunas highway. According to preliminary data, 13 US soldiers contracted injuries of varying degrees.

A 2nd Cavalry Regiment Stryker crew queues for ammunition distribution during a training event during Saber Strike 18 in Powidz, Poland, on June 1. Four of their vehicles collided on June 7 in Lithuania. (Capt. Jeku Arce/Army)

“Thirteen U.S. Army Soldiers were transported to local hospitals by host nation ground ambulances for evaluation of injuries,” said Col. Kathleen Turner..

The US soldiers are in Lithuania to participate in the Saber Strike 2018 drills.

The ongoing mass movement of US troops is part of NATO Operation Atlantic Resolve and the Saber Strike 2018 exercises in the region. The activities are supposed to last until mid-June.

Saber Strike is a US-Europe set of cooperative military training drills that have been conducted annually since 2010. The exercises aim to train armies to respond quickly to a potential crisis through the instant deployment of soldiers and weapons.