Kaunas considers public survey on naming training ground after Pliaterytė

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas has called a proposal to name the Kapčiamiestis military training ground after 19th-century noblewoman Emilija Pliaterytė “acceptable,” but suggested gathering local community input before a final decision, LRT reports.

“This is an interesting and, I believe, an acceptable proposal,” Kaunas told Žinių Radijas on Thursday. “We will discuss it collectively and decide. Perhaps we should also consider surveying the local community to hear their views on what name the training ground should bear. I think further discussion on the naming is needed.”

The idea was first proposed last week by President Gitanas Nausėda, who also signed the law establishing the Kapčiamiestis training ground. Pliaterytė, a countess, became a symbol of resistance during the 1831 uprising against the Russian Empire after organising and leading her own military unit—becoming the first female captain in Lithuanian history. She is buried in Kapčiamiestis.

Training exercises at the site are expected to begin in 2028, with firing ranges operational by 2030. The 14,600-hectare area currently includes nearly 2,000 private plots, most designated as forest land. Kaunas has previously emphasised the facility’s critical role in strengthening national defence, particularly for Lithuania’s Iron Wolf Brigade and the German brigade stationed in the country.