Russia Vows Military Response to NATO’s Moves in Poland, Baltic Region
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Intensification of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) activity in the areas adjoining the Baltic Sea will provoke Russia’s military and political response, Alexander Grushko, the Russian ambassador to NATO, said.
"A decision to deploy (NATO’s) extra battalions changes the regional situation in the sphere of security qualitatively," Grushko said on Friday, the Tass news agency reported.
"Today this situation is acquiring new parameters and it will surely require not only a political response but also the appropriate military precautions,” he added.
Grushko added the Russian military "will watch with much attention what means might be necessary to neutralize the risks" associated with NATO’s growing activity.
"It’s all too obvious that measures will be taken and our partners at the Russia-NATO Council shouldn’t get surprised over it. All the realistically thinking politicians and military realize that any action will trigger an equal counteraction sooner or later."
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had said that four combat battalions will be deployed in Poland and three former Soviet Baltic republic of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
From June 3 to June 19, NATO holds BALTOPS 16 exercise involving fifteen member-states of the pact, as well as Finland and Sweden.