DISINFO: Accusations of “Russian aggression” are pretext for NATO to station weapons near Russia
SUMMARY
Accusations of “Russian aggression” are a pretext for NATO to station weapons near Russia's borders.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the "Russian threat" is a false idea allegedly created and spread by NATO and used as a pretext to station NATO troops and military equipment near Russia’s borders. The article’s message is also consistent with the recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative claiming that the West, and NATO, in particular, is encircling Russia.
NATO is a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. The claim that NATO is encircling Russia is one of the myths about NATO. Russia has land borders with 14 countries. Only five of them are NATO members. Compared to Russia's sizeable forces (several tens of thousands) near NATO borders, the enhanced forward presence in the Baltic NATO members states as well as in Romania and Bulgaria numbers few battalions totalling a few thousand soldiers.
Currently, this narrative is being used by Russia to blame NATO for its relations with Ukraine: Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity continue to be violated by acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014. In response to Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine, NATO suspended practical cooperation with Russia.
Also, in direct response to Russia's use of military force against its neighbours, NATO deployed four multinational battlegroups to the Baltic States and Poland in 2016. These forces are rotational, defensive and proportionate. Before Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, there were no plans to deploy Allied troops to the Eastern part of the Alliance.
Read similar cases claiming that Russian aggression is used as a pretext to station NATO military close to Russia's borders or that Russian hybrid warfare does not exist, it is a concept created by NATO and by the West.