NATO conducts military exercises near Russia

SANAA, April 29 (YPA) – NATO exercises “Spring Storm 2019” will begin on Monday in Estonia with the participation of some 9,000 soldiers and officers from NATO.

“More than 9,000 foreign troops from 13 countries are taking part in the NATO exercises,” the sputnik news agency quoted a statement of Estonian Defense Ministry as saying. “The massive spring storm 2019 will be launched from 29 April to 17 May.”

The statement pointed out that the most important part of the exercises will begin from 2 to 10 May, and will be conducted exercises in northeastern Estonia near the Russian-Estonian border.

The statement revealed the participation of about 9 thousand soldiers and more than 200 military units of land and air forces and naval units, and will represent the ground forces members of the 1st and 2nd Infantry battalions of the Estonian Defense Forces, members of the militia Kitsilit (Defense Union), the British military forces and troops from France and battalion NATO, based in Estonia, as well as troops from the United States, Germany, Belgium, Canada, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Finland, Georgia and Ukraine.