TALLINN (Sputnik) — Tornado will be the last drills before the major Siil 2015 war games, the largest military exercises in country's history, due to be held in Estonia on May 4-15 with participation of nearly 13,000 US and Estonian soldiers.
Up to 1000 soldiers from Latvia, Estonia & Lithuania prepare to join #NATO Response Force http://t.co/qf3iuklk3Q pic.twitter.com/v0kHiKE7IO
— US Mission to NATO (@USNATO) April 16, 2015
"On Monday, nearly 2,000 soldiers of the First Infantry Brigade of Estonian Defense Forces, as well as divisions of US paratroopers, will begin five-day Tornado drills, which will demonstrate the level of their readiness to participate in larger Siil (Hedgehog) military exercises," the statement read.
#Estonia president calls for permanent #NATO presence http://t.co/9sCze7Xn4n via @thebaltictimes pic.twitter.com/2E6D521nAD
— Eurasia Center (@ACEurasia) April 15, 2015
The presence of US soldiers in the Baltic region is a part of the military operation Atlantic Resolve, a demonstration of US commitment to NATO members across Eastern Europe through international training and security cooperation.
Exercises #Baltic Battalion (#BALTBAT) created by #Lithuania, #Latvia & #Estonia to #NATO Response Force —#NRF #Army pic.twitter.com/0T2XCQlR1X
— SpecGhost (@SpecGhost) April 14, 2015
NATO has been strengthening its military presence along Russia's western border amid the conflict in southeastern Ukraine, claiming Moscow's involvement.
Moscow has repeatedly stressed that NATO expansion toward Russian borders could further aggravate existing tensions and undermine regional security.
President Ilves: #Nato should deter #Russia by permanently stationing combat units in #Baltics http://t.co/qzrrczjvgg pic.twitter.com/SuySoftqXy
— estNATO (@estNATO) April 11, 2015
