MOSCOW (Sputnik) — NATO member states are preparing to deploy about 4,000 troops – four battalions — in the Baltic states and Poland as part of the Alliance’s strategy of military buildup on the Russian border, media reported, citing officials.
"The Russians have been doing a lot of snap exercises right up against the borders, with a lot of troops. From our perspective, we could argue this is extraordinarily provocative behavior," US Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work told the paper, confirming the overall size of the new deployment.
In February, NATO defense ministers approved in principle the deployment of troops in Eastern Europe to deter what they refer to as "Russian aggression," though there was no final decision on the matter. The proposal is currently being reviewed at the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels.
