NATO Europe Commander pledges more military exercises in the Baltic region
US General Philp Breedlove, head of the US Europe Command and the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO in Europe, said NATO has plans for an increased number of military training exercises in Baltic region in response to heightened Russian military activity.
"There will be several adaptations of our exercise program. The first series of changes will not be an increase in number but they will be to group them together [...], to better prepare our forces and to allow nations to work together as a NATO force, but we are looking at increasing some exercises," Breedlove said on a visit to Poland, reported Reuters.
Speaking about Russian involvement in eastern Ukraine, he said Russia did lay low for a while but did continue to resupply, train and organize separatist fighting the Ukrainian government.
Russia in turn announced today that it will beef up its forces in the Crimea, the Arctic and in Kaliningrad.
Estonia will hold its biggest ever military exercise this year at the beginning of May with around 12,000 reserve soldiers set to participate.
Editor: J.M. Laats