NATO critical of Russian war games near Poland

BRUSSELS, Nov 18 (Reuters) - NATO countries voiced concern on Wednesday at Russian and Belarusian exercises held near the Polish border in September, saying they were at odds with improved relations with Moscow.

Ambassadors from the 28 NATO states meeting in Brussels expressed concerns about the large scale of the exercises and a scenario that envisioned an attack from the West, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said.

"There was the general sense that the political message of the exercise was incongruous with the general improvement in political relations and practical cooperation which is under way between NATO and Russia," Appathurai said.

He said there was also concern that NATO observers had not been invited to view the exercises.

In Washington this month Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski drew attention to the exercises near Poland's border and said NATO forces should be placed in central Europe to underscore its value to the alliance.

The purpose of the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises is to verify the possibilities of Belarus and Russia to ensure military security of the Union State, Belarusian Defence Minister Leonid Maltsev said earlier.
“We have an excellent opportunity to enhance the teamwork of military command, field and airborne training of formations and military units of the armed forces of the two countries that are part of the Belarusian-Russian regional group of troops. These objectives are to be achieved during the fulfilment of the tasks to perfect the system of control of the regional group of troops, increase its interoperability and interaction between the Russian and Belarusian components of the group,” Maltsev said.
The Belarusian minister noted that the main objective of the exercises was to verify the possibilities of Belarus and Russia to ensure military security of the Union State, and their readiness to repel possible aggression, and learn to use the regional group of troops.
“The exercises are a logical continuation of the exercises held in recent years. First of all, they are aimed at verifying the functioning of the joint defence of the Union State, and its capability to resolve the talk of ensuring national and regional security,” Maltsev said. - ITAR-TASS

I think these military exercises were not really aimed at NATO as much as aimed at the cowardice & incompetence of 0bozo. I have a feeling that Putin laughs & snorts with derision at the man-child 0bozo, and just wanted to show up 0bozo.

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