1st Division (Lithuania)

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]

1st Division
Pirmoji divizija
Divisional symbol
Active	1775–1795 1920–1923 1931–1940 2025–
Country	Lithuania
Branch	Lithuanian Land Force
Type	Division
Size	~20,000
Part of	Multinational Corps Northeast (NATO)
Garrison/HQ	Kaunas
Motto(s)	Unity, Strength, Victory
Anniversaries	11–12 April 1775
Commanders
Current commander	Brigade general Aurelijus Alasauskas
Chief of Staff	Lieutenant Colonel Darius Kisielius

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

On January 28, 2025, the president of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, and the chief of defence, General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, unveiled the division's emblem.

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 Juozapas Judickis, the Grand Guard of Lithuania (1776–1789), the elder of Strzalków and Bohiń.

Divisional commanders

• Adomas Kazimieras Čartoriskis (nominal commander, patron, colonel-in-chief);
• Juozapas Judickis
• Mykolas Jurgis Grabovskis

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] In 1920, the 1st Division was re-formed based on the 1st Brigade, which fought in the Lithuanian Wars of Independence.^[2]

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] 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.^[3] In May 2023, the Lithuanian State Defence Council [lt] approved the future formation of a division.^[3] 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's order of battle in 2025

1st Division Infantry Brigade "Žemaitija" and other divisional troops during Allied Spirit 2025 exercise

The 1st Division was re-established on 28 January 2025 in Rukla.^[1] and received the Infantry Brigades Iron Wolf, Žemaitija and Aukštaitija, as well as supporting units.^[1][2] The division will be fully operational by 2030 and consist by then of the following units:^[4][5]

1st Division, in Rukla

• 1st Division headquarters, in Rukla
  • Headquarters Company
  • Military Intelligence Battalion
  • 1st (?) Battalion (formed by the Kazimieras Semenavičius Air Defence Regiment)
    • NASAMS Battery
    • 1st MSHORAD Battery
    • 2nd MSHORAD Battery
    • 3rd MSHORAD Battery
  • Signal Battalion (formed by the Cyber Defence Command)
  • Logistics Battalion (formed by the Logistics Command)
  • Transport Battalion (formed by the Logistics Command)
  • Medical Support Battalion (formed by the Logistics Command)
  • Military Police Battalion (formed by the Lithuanian Military Police)
• Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf", in Rukla (Heavy brigade)
  • Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf" Headquarters, in Rukla
    • Headquarters Company
    • Signal Company
    • Reconnaissance Company
  • Tank Battalion (Leopard 2A8)
  • Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion, in Alytus (CV90)
  • Grand Duke Algirdas Infantry Battalion, in Rukla (CV90)
  • General Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion, in Rukla (PzH 2000)
  • Lieutenant General Jokūbas Jasinskis Logistics Battalion, in Rukla
• Infantry Brigade "Aukštaitija", in Vilnius (Medium brigade)
  • Brigade "Aukštaitija" Headquarters, in Vilnius^[6]
    • Headquarters Company
    • Reconnaissance Company
    • Signal Company
  • King Mindaugas Hussar Battalion, in Panevėžys (Vilkas)
  • Duke Vaidotas Infantry Battalion, in Vilnius (Vilkas)
  • Infantry Battalion (Reserve?)
  • Brigade Logistics Battalion
• Infantry Brigade "Žemaitija", in Klaipėda (Light brigade)
  • Infantry Brigade "Žemaitija" Headquarters, in Klaipėda^[7]
    • Headquarters Company
    • Signal Company
    • Reconnaissance Company
    • Anti-tank Company
    • Logistics Company
  • Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion, in Klaipėda (JLTV)
  • Grand Duke Kęstutis Infantry Battalion, in Tauragė (JLTV)
  • Prince Margiris Infantry Battalion, in Šiauliai (JLTV)
  • Brigadier General Motiejus Pečiulionis [lt] Artillery Battalion, in Pajūris (CAESAR)
• Colonel Juozas Vitkus Engineer Regiment
  • Colonel Juozas Vitkus Engineer Regiment Headquarters
    • Headquarters Company
    • Reconnaissance Company
    • Signal Company
  • 1st Combat Engineer Company
  • 2nd Combat Engineer Company
  • 3rd Combat Engineer Company
• Divisional Artillery Regiment
  • Divisional Artillery Regiment Headquarters
    • Headquarters Battery
    • Reconnaissance Battery
    • Signal Battery
  • Artillery Battalion (CAESAR)
  • Long range Artillery Battalion (HIMARS)

Commanders

Division commanders

• Brigadier General Aurelijus Alasauskas (2025 — )