BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — On Thursday, the United Kingdom held a referendum to determine whether or not the country should leave the European Union. According to the final results, 51.9 percent of voters, or 17.4 million people, decided to support Britain leaving the European Union, while about 16.1 million opposed it.
"Brexit will most likely result in escalation of tensions between NATO and Russia as the prevailing role of the US and the UK in the alliance becomes more than obvious," the source told RIA Novosti.
NATO has been reinforcing its military presence in Europe, particularly in the Eastern European states, since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, citing Russia's alleged interference in the conflict as a justification for the move. Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations, calling NATO's military buildup near Russia’s borders provocative.