Up to 300,000 Nato troops will be put on 'high alert' as tensions continue to rise between Russia and the Baltic states, Nato's head of alliance has indicated.
Nato commanders believe that speeding up the response time of thousands of its troops will allow military personnel to react to a combat situation more efficiently.
The decision was made after a body of US experts said they believe Russia could overrun Nato's current military force in the Baltic states in a matter of hours, if a conflict began.
Jens Stolenberg, the security-general of Nato, told The Times: "We have seen Russia being much more active in many different ways.
"We have seen a more assertive Russia implementing a substantial military build-up over many years - tripling defence spending since 2000 in real terms; developing new military capabilities; exercising their forces and using military force against neighbours.
"We have also seen Russia using propaganda in Europe among Nato allies and that is exactly the reason why Nato is responding. We are responding with the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence since the end of the Cold War."
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Jens Stolenberg. NATO defence ministers met in Brussels to discuss tense relations with Russia. Image credit: PA
The proposition to increase the alert was discussed by Nato defence ministers at a conference in October, reports the Independent.
Stolenberg refused to specify the number of troops being put on alert, but Britain's outgoing Nato representative Sir Adam Thomson believes it is likely to be around the 300,000 mark. Thomson also states that the goal is to speed up the response time of military personnel to about two months. At present, a force of this size could take up to six months to deploy.
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