NATO Sends Weapons And Troops To Eastern Europe

Warning sign: NATO sends weapons and troops to Eastern Europe

Pravda.Ru

NATO has been expanding its military presence in Eastern Europe lately in connection with the crisis around Ukraine. NATO countries are currently moving their ships and aircraft to the region, a message posted on the website of the North Atlantic Alliance says. 

• Denmark is sending a frigate to the Baltic Sea and deploying four F-16 fighters to Lithuania to patrol airspace;
• Spain is sending ships to join the naval forces of the alliance and is considering an opportunity to send fighter jets to Bulgaria.
• France set out its readiness to send a contingent of troops under NATO command to Romania.
• The Netherlands will send two F-35 fighters to Bulgaria, a Dutch Navy ship and several ground units will join NATO rapid reaction force.
• The United States is also considering a possibility to increase its military presence in Eastern Europe, NATO said.

Australia and other NATO members evacuate personnel from Kiev

Meanwhile, Australian authorities have started evacuating the families of diplomats from Kiev amid rising tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border, The Sydney Morning Herald said. 

According to the publication, Canberra urged Australian citizens in Ukraine to leave the country as soon as possible for their safety. There are about 1,400 Australians staying in Ukraine, but the Australian government has not confirmed this information yet, the newspaper said. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked the countries that decided to provide additional forces at the disposal of the alliance. 

At the same time, Ukraine continues to receive military equipment. On January 21, Estonian Ministry of Defense announced that the head of the department, Kalle Laanet, and his counterparts from Latvia and Lithuania agreed with the United States to supply additional weapons to Ukraine. Thus, Estonia will send American Javelin anti-tank missile system to Ukraine, and Latvia and Lithuania will dispatch Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems. Great Britain also sent anti-tank systems for the Ukrainian army.