Four US Army soldiers have been found dead after disappearing near the Belarus border following a set of Nato exercises yesterday.

The US military confirmed the disappearance on Wednesday, with American and Lithuanian officials scrambling a search team to locate the quartet.

However, local media today claimed that the four US soldiers had been found dead.

The military has not yet provided an update but previously promised to give additional information as it becomes available.

In its latest update, the US Embassy said: "The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting scheduled tactical training at the time of the incident. Search and recovery efforts are underway."

No details have yet emerged about the circumstances leading to the soldiers' disappearance.

The incident took place at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, raising concerns given the training area's proximity to Belarus, a close Russian ally.

The training ground, which is around 10 kilometres away from the Belarus border, serves as an important facility for Nato forces in the region.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are all Nato members with historically tense relations with Russia.

The three Baltic nations declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.

Tensions soared in the region following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has since emerged as one of Ukraine's most vocal supporters.

He has taken a strong stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces.

Belarus, which borders Lithuania, remains a key ally of Russia, with Alexander Lukashenko being seen as a Kremlin shill by many in Europe.

The proximity of the training ground to the Belarusian border adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing search operation.

Regional security concerns have intensified throughout the Baltic states since the Ukraine conflict began.