Germany Taking Part in NATO War Games Close to Russian Borders

NATO has organized a large-scale military exercises in Estonia which are being carried out directly on the border with Russia. German soldiers are also actively taking part in the maneuver, German newspaper Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten (DWN) reported.

More than 5,000 soldiers from Germany, Estonia, the USA, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Lithuania and Latvia are currently taking part in NATO maneuvers in Estonia, DWN wrote, citing Delfi.

The maneuver "Spring Storm" is taking place 30 kilometers away from the Russian border and will last until May 20.

Germany's participation in NATO's military activities comes only a couple of weeks after the Bundeswehr announced its plans to deploy soldiers in Lithuania as part of NATO's mission aimed at "containing" possible Russian aggression.

Previously, Raimonds Graube, commander of the army of another Baltic state, Latvia, called Russia's political leadership "unpredictable" and appealed to NATO to be ready for a corresponding response.

The US has activated a new component of its missile defense shield in Europe at the Deveselu military base, in Romania, earlier this week. The move raised concerns among Russian politicians who view NATO's military buildup along the Russian borders as a threat to the country's security.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the system could be used to launch cruise missiles, thus violating the 1987 INF Treaty between Washington and Moscow and criticized the West for a very one-sided approach to the issue of missile defense.