NATO strengthens its presence in the Baltics, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland
Brussels - Kiev, January 29 (PolitNavigator, Vasily Ablyazimov) - NATO said Friday, the Associated Press reports , that it will deploy small units to six Eastern European countries to help coordinate an initiative group created in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
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“NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the units would go to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania and would be the first of their kind there,” the agency reported. These units are part of the newly formed NATO forces, the creation of which was caused by the crisis in Ukraine and the so-called. "Russian military threat".
Defense ministers from the military alliance will discuss ways to counter Russia when they meet on February 5. The forward units will include only a few dozen soldiers. They will plan and organize military exercises and provide command and control of any additional forces that may be required.
NATO forces conducted nearly 200 military exercises in 2014, and Stoltenberg, speaking at his monthly news conference, promised this would continue as long as the alliance adjusted to the increased presence of Russian warplanes in European skies. NATO intercepted more than 400 Russian aircraft last year, the agency said.
On Thursday, British fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian bombers that flew through no-man's land without making contact with British air traffic control.
“Despite the economic crisis, despite the financial problems they face, Russia currently still gives priority to defense spending,” Jens Stoltenberg was forced to state.
NATO Strengthens Presence in the Baltics, Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland