NATO "could stage big maneuvers on Russian border"

Source: Tanjug

BERLIN -- NATO could conduct maneuvers with tens of thousands of soldiers in the border regions of Russia and Ukraine, the German magazine Spiegel reports.

(Beta/AP, file)

"We have so far carried out big maneuvers with 25,000 to 40,000 people only in western countries. I can well imagine that in the future we will do the same in Eastern Europe and the Baltic States," German NATO General Hans Lothar Domrose told the daily Welt, as reported by Spiegel.
The magazine says that NATO is considering "provocative actions against Moscow" and possibly wants to, for the first time, carry out major maneuvers in Eastern Europe and in the border regions towards Russia.

The general did not provide any other details.

In the context of the Ukrainian crisis both the Western alliance and Russia have been "flexing their muscles," noted the magazine.

"We will form a rapid reaction force of about 5,000 to 7,000 people, which could be deployed to areas of operations in two to five days," said Domrose.

Until now, said the article, the talk was about 3,000 to 5,000 people.

"If all goes according to plan, then these troops will be ready for action by the end of 2015," said the German general.