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Russia Urges U.S. Not to Deploy Weapons to Border Areas | Russia Urges U.S. Not to Deploy Weapons to Border Areas |
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MOSCOW — Moscow issued muted warnings on Monday in response to the Pentagon’s possible stationing of battle tanks and other heavy weapons to speed the deployment of American troops if needed in NATO states bordering Russia. | MOSCOW — Moscow issued muted warnings on Monday in response to the Pentagon’s possible stationing of battle tanks and other heavy weapons to speed the deployment of American troops if needed in NATO states bordering Russia. |
The Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying it hoped that Washington would ultimately decide not to deploy the weaponry, while other senior officials and analysts suggested that the deployment would provoke the placement of a more potent Russian arsenal near the frontier or even herald the start of a competitive arms buildup. | |
“We hope that reason will prevail and the situation in Europe will be prevented from sliding into a new military confrontation which may have dangerous consequences,” the Foreign Ministry said in the statement. | |
That was the first official response to a report published by The New York Times over the weekend about the Pentagon’s weighing the deployment of battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other heavy weapons for as many as 5,000 American troops in several Baltic and Eastern European countries. | That was the first official response to a report published by The New York Times over the weekend about the Pentagon’s weighing the deployment of battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other heavy weapons for as many as 5,000 American troops in several Baltic and Eastern European countries. |
The deployment of advance equipment would be the first such move since the Cold War ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its continued military interference in eastern Ukraine — although it denies any direct involvement — have prompted fears in other countries bordering Russia about further military action or meddling. | |
Hence the possible move was generally welcomed by Poland and the Baltic States, all of which used to be either part of the Soviet Union or controlled by it. | Hence the possible move was generally welcomed by Poland and the Baltic States, all of which used to be either part of the Soviet Union or controlled by it. |
Aside from aggression against its neighbors, Russia has renewed surveillance flights by military aircraft across Western Europe and in North America, prompting various games of chicken between planes patrolling the lines separating national and international airspace. | |
What the West considers renewed Russian aggression prompted the Pentagon to consider the move, but Moscow sees it as a longstanding pattern in which NATO forces creep closer to its borders. | |
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had no immediate reaction, although he was expected to address military matters on Tuesday when he opens a major exhibition showcasing new Russian weaponry. | President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had no immediate reaction, although he was expected to address military matters on Tuesday when he opens a major exhibition showcasing new Russian weaponry. |
The Foreign Ministry said the deployment would undermine a crucial provision of a 1997 agreement between Russia and NATO, in which the alliance pledged not to station substantial combat forces near Russia. But the Pentagon maintains that it is merely deploying the equipment, not the troops themselves. | The Foreign Ministry said the deployment would undermine a crucial provision of a 1997 agreement between Russia and NATO, in which the alliance pledged not to station substantial combat forces near Russia. But the Pentagon maintains that it is merely deploying the equipment, not the troops themselves. |