1st Division (Lithuania)
| 1st Division | |
|---|---|
| Pirmoji divizija | |
.png) Divisional symbol | |
| Active | 11 April 1775–1795 1920–1923 1931–1940 28 January 2025–Present |
| Country |  Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1775–1795) Lithuania (1920–1923; 1931–1940; 2025–Present) |
| Branch |  Lithuanian Land Force |
| Type | Division |
| Size | ~20,000 |
| Part of | .svg.png){kind=small} Multinational Corps Northeast (NATO) |
| Garrison/HQ | Kaunas |
| Mottos | Unity, Strength, Victory |
| Anniversaries | 11–12 April 1775 |
| Engagements | Lithuanian Wars of Independence Soviet Invasion of the Baltic states |
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/PirmojiDivizija |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Brigade general Aurelijus Alasauskas |
| Chief of Staff | Lieutenant Colonel Darius Kisielius |
The 1st Division (Lithuanian: Pirmoji divizija) is the main military unit of the Land Forces of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The division is planned to reach full operational capacity by 2030.[1]
As of January 2025, the division consists of a command headquarters, three infantry brigades, engineering and artillery regiments, as well as a reconnaissance battalion.[1][2] Units of other military branches are also used to support the division.
History
The 1st Division continues the traditions of the Grand Ducal Lithuanian Army's 1st Lithuanian Division.
1775–1795
Officially, the Grand Ducal Lithuanian Army's 1st and 2nd Divisions were established on April 11–12, 1775, after the Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth approved the framework.[1] However, the actual formation through the transformation of the old units into a new structure began in 1777.[1] The divisions were equivalent to a modern military district.
The first commander of the 1st Lithuanian Division was Lieutenant General Józef Judycki, the Grand Guard of Lithuania (1776–1789), the elder of Strzalków and Bohiń.
Divisional commanders
- Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski (nominal commander, patron, colonel-in-chief);
- Józef Judycki
- Michał Grzegorz Grabowski
1920–1940
In 1918, after the restoration of Lithuanian statehood, the Lithuanian army and its regiments were reborn, which were combined into brigades in 1919.[2] On 10 February 1920, the 1st Division was re-formed based on the 1st Brigade, which had fought extensively in the Lithuanian Wars of Independence, as the three infantry brigades of the Lithuanian Army were reorganised into divisions.[3] The 1st Division had three infantry regiments and three independent battalions.[4]
World War II
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the 1st Division was mobilized to defend the borders of Lithuania and ensure the security of Vilnius and elsewhere in Lithuania.[2]
As of 1940, the 1st Infantry Division comprised headquarters, 3 infantry regiments and 2 artillery regiments.[5] In addition, it included Military Commandant's Offices (Lithuanian: Karo komendantūra) for the city of Vilnius and the districts of Biržai, Kėdainiai, Panevėžys, Raseiniai, Rokiškis, Švenčionėliai, Trakai, Ukmergė, Utena and Zarasai.[5]
Lithuanian resistance
After the government's surrender to the Soviet ultimatum to Lithuania in 1940 and the subsequent Soviet occupation, the Lithuanian Army was disbanded, but the 1st Division's soldiers went on to fight for Lithuania against the occupation as partisans.[2]
21st century
At the 2022 Madrid Summit, the main military tactical unit was upscaled from a brigade to a division in NATO's military plans.[6] In May 2023, the Lithuanian State Defence Council approved the future formation of a division.[6] In order to establish a Lithuanian Infantry Division with a tank battalion, on 11 July 2024 the Seimas approved changes to the basic structure of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, which entered into force on 18 July 2024.
Structure
The 1st Division was re-established on 28 January 2025 in Rukla.[1] and received the brigades Iron Wolf, Žemaitija and Aukštaitija, as well as supporting units.[1][2] The division will be fully operational by 2030. As of 2026 the division consists of the following units:[7][8]
1st Division, in Rukla
- Headquarters and Headquarters Company, in Rukla
- Signals Company
- Reconnaissance Company
- Logistics Company
- Rocket Artillery Battery[9]
.png)
Artillery Regiment, in Rukla[10] (Initial Command Element)[11].png)
Colonel Juozas Vitkus Engineer Regiment, in Kaunas[12].png)
Brigade "Iron Wolf", in Rukla[13]
- Headquarters and Headquarters Company, in Rukla
- Reconnaissance Company, in Rukla
- Anti-tank Company, in Rukla
- Signals Company, in Rukla
- Tank Battalion, in Rukla (Initial Command Element)[14]
- King Mindaugas Hussar Battalion, in Panevėžys
- Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion, in Alytus
- Grand Duke Algirdas Infantry Battalion, in Rukla
- Duke Vaidotas Infantry Battalion, in Rokantiškės
- General Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion, in Rukla
- Lieutenant general Jokūbas Jasinskis Logistics battalion, in Rukla[15]
- Headquarters and Headquarters Company, in Rukla
_Infantry_Brigade_(1st_Division).png)
Brigade "Žemaitija", in Klaipėda[16]
- Headquarters and Headquarters Company, in Klaipėda[17]
- Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion, in Klaipėda
- Grand Duke Kęstutis Infantry Battalion, in Tauragė
- Prince Margiris Infantry Battalion, in Šiauliai
- Brigadier General Motiejus Pečiulionis Artillery Battalion, in Pajūris
- Logistics Battalion, in Kairiai[18]
.png)
Brigade "Aukštaitija", in Pajuostis (Initial Command Element)[19]
Commanders
Division commanders
- Brigadier General Aurelijus Alasauskas (2025 — )
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Biržietis 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 kariuomene.lt 2025.
- ↑ Surgailis 2024, p. 82.
- ↑ Kisinas 2018.
- 1 2 Spečiūnas, Knezys & Gaidys 2018.
- 1 2 kam.lt 2025.
- ↑ "Lietuvos kariuomenės Pirmoji divizija". Lithuanian Armed Forces. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
- ↑ Delfi Video (2025-03-14). Tiesiogiai: KAM ministrės Šakalienės ir Lietuvos kariuomenės vado gen. Vaikšnoro komentarai. Retrieved 2025-03-14 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Sausumos pajėgų kariai dalyvavo tarptautiniame HIMARS įgulų rengime Estijoje | Lietuvos kariuomenė". Sausumos pajėgų kariai dalyvavo tarptautiniame HIMARS įgulų rengime Estijoje | Lietuvos kariuomenė (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ↑ Lithuania, Rekvizitai lt. "Lietuvos kariuomenės Pirmosios divizijos Artilerijos pulkas BI branch - Public institutions, Jonava distr". Rekvizitai.lt Lithuania. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ Lithuania, Rekvizitai lt. "Lietuvos kariuomenės Pirmosios divizijos Artilerijos pulko vadovybė BI branch - Public institutions, Jonava distr". Rekvizitai.lt Lithuania. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ "Pulkininko Juozo Vitkaus inžinerijos batalionas". Lithuanian Armed Forces. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
- ↑ "Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf" » Units". Lithuanian Army. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ↑ "Pėstininkų brigados „Geležinis Vilkas" Tankų batalione prasidėjo tankų įgulų rengimas". www.facebook.com (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ Media, Fresh. "Generolo leitenanto Jokūbo Jasinskio Logistikos batalionas | Lietuvos kariuomenė". Generolo leitenanto Jokūbo Jasinskio Logistikos batalionas | Lietuvos kariuomenė (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ "Motorized Infantry Brigade "Samogitia" » Units". Lithuanian Army. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 "Brigada „Žemaitija" - Štabas ir priskirti padaliniai". Lithuanian Armed Forces. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
- ↑ Venckūnas, Vilmantas. "Įkurtas „Žemaitijos" brigados Logistikos batalionas, pilna pajėgumą turėtų pasiekti iki 2029-ųjų". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ Redakcija, J. P. (2026-02-18). "Naujas karinis vienetas Panevėžyje: brigados „Aukštaitija" štabui – pastatas, kuriame laikinai veikia „Sodra"". Kad ir kur bebūtum – naujienos visada su Tavimi! (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2026-08-19.
Sources
- Biržietis, Dominykas (2025-01-28). "Rukloje inauguruota Pirmąja pavadinta Lietuvos kariuomenės divizija". Baltic News Service (in Lithuanian).
- kam.lt (2025-01-28). "Lithuania re-establishes the 1st Division of the Lithuanian Armed Forces". LR Krašto apsaugos ministerija.
- kariuomene.lt (2025). "Lietuvos kariuomenės Pirmoji divizija". Lietuvos kariuomenė (in Lithuanian).
- Surgailis, Gintautas (2024). Lietuvos kariuomenės istorija (PDF) (in Lithuanian). Vol. I (Part 1). Vilnius: Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos Karo Akademija. ISBN 978-609-8277-55-5.
Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia
- Kisinas, Eugenijus Simonas (2018). "Divizija". Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia (in Lithuanian).
- Spečiūnas, Vytautas; Knezys, Stasys; Gaidys, Arvydas (2018). "Lietuvos ginkluotosios pajėgos 1918–1940". Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia (in Lithuanian).
External links
 Land |
Juozas Lukša Training Center | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Air | Air Base • Airspace Surveillance and Control Command • Armament and Equipment Repair Depot • Air Defence Battalion | ||||||||||||||||
 Navy | Naval Forces Command Headquarters
Warship Flotilla • General Kazimieras Nestoras Sapiega Fusilier Battalion | ||||||||||||||||
 Special Ops |
Vytautas the Great Jaeger Battalion • Training and Combat Support Center | ||||||||||||||||
| Commands |
| ||||||||||||||||
| Other |
Grand Duke Gediminas Staff Battalion • Military Police • Ordinariate • Lithuanian Military Aviation Administration | ||||||||||||||||
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
- Lithuanian Land Force
- Divisions of Lithuania
- Military units and formations established in 1775
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1795
- Military units and formations established in 1920
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1923
- Military units and formations established in 1931
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1940
- Military units and formations established in 2025