Billions of dollars invested in strengthening NATO's eastern side

23 мая 2022
It is an obvious fact that NATO's uptick in military presence on the eastern side creates the threat to the security of Belarus and Russia. But as experts say, this is the main goal of the North Atlantic Alliance.

Vladimir Vasilyev, chief researcher at the Institute of the United States and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences, does not rule out that at any moment some of these troops may enter the western regions of Ukraine masquerading as peacekeepers.

Vladimir Vasiliev, chief researcher at the Institute of the United States and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences:

The strategy to strengthen the NATO's eastern side began relatively long ago, after the events of 2014. The funds that the United States devoted were estimated at billions of dollars. Currently, they amount to about $4-5 billion for the current fiscal year 2022. In addition, there are regular military exercises. The military exercise "Hedgehog" has already started in Estonia on May 16 and will continue until June 3. It involves 15,000 Estonian servicemen and about 10 other NATO countries, of which the United States is the leading military commitment.

According to the expert, this concentration of troops cannot be called an exercise. These are sufficiently mobilized units, which at any time can support the entry of NATO troops into western Ukraine. They can provide security and logistical support for huge armament systems or weapons consignments, equipment, ammunition, which are supplied to Ukraine by the USA.