Russia is putting mass troops on Eastern European borders

Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine in 2014, former communist states in Europe, such as Baltic countries and Poland, have raised concerns that Russia could promote a similar hybrid war on their eastern borders. In an effort to ease such anxieties, NATO has deployed four battalions in all four states on its northeast side, and Western allies have also added ranks.

Poland has backed the concerns of its Baltic neighbours, that a future joint military exercise between Russia and Belarus is more than that. Eastern European Deputy Defence Minister Micha? Dvorzyk expressed concern that the exercise could be a cover for Moscow to deploy troops in Belarus, in an expansion movement aimed at reaching the eastern NATO reinforcement.

The future exercise “Zapad 2017”, which will take place in September, has caused much concern in Europe. Neighboring Lithuania has criticised the plans, saying this appears to be a simulation of a possible clash with the US-led NATO alliance. Secretary - General NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, has also raised concerns about the number of partial troops. NATO doubts Russia will not adhere to the declared number of 12,700 troops participating, as it has previously conducted very large exercises, spontaneously adding exercises to activities planned earlier.
The exercise could increase to 80,000 troops, taking into account the increased traffic of military trains, related to preparations, as well as taking into account previous cases, estimates American Atlantic Council think-tank.

Dvorzyk voiced scepticism that Russian personnel and equipment that land in its eastern neighbour will leave after the exercise is completed on September 20th.
“There are many doubts and concerns due to the Russian Federation's current activities and may result in not all forces and means being withdrawn after military exercise”, he said, according to Polish TV Polskie Radio. He also echoed fears that figures that Moscow and Minsk have provided before the exercise will be exceeded. However, he concluded that for the time being, the Polish must still feel “strictly secure”.

Poland's President Andreze Duda, Foreign Minister Vitold Vaszczykoski and head of the Patve National Security Bureau? Soloch will meet with Stoltenberg this week to discuss Russian training. Stoltenberg will visit Warsaw to share thoughts on this issue and discuss NATO's further <x0 operations in the region”, Paulskie told Radio, chief of Duda's cabinet, Krztztof Szczerski.

Georgia's former president, Mikhail Saakashvili, compared Russia's plans for Belarus as an annex in early August. “During the exercise will bring infrastructure,” said Saakashvili, who has until recently also served as governor in Ukraine. The threat [from Russia] has not disappeared, but is only growing. Only that Ukrainians have so far stood firm at their borders [with Russia]”.

Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine in 2014, former communist states in Europe, such as Baltic countries and Poland, have raised concerns that Russia could promote a similar hybrid war on their eastern borders. In an effort to ease such anxieties, NATO has deployed four battalions in all four states on its northeast side, and Western allies have also added ranks.