Ukraine crisis: NATO forces on standby, Kremlin denies invasion plan

NATO allies are putting forces on standby and sending additional ships and fighter jets to NATO deployments in eastern Europe, reinforcing Allied deterrence and defence as Russia continues its military build-up in and around Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, said that information hysteria in the West, not Russia, should be blamed for the increased tensions.

Moscow (Russia):North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies are putting forces on standby and sending additional ships and fighter jets to NATO deployments in eastern Europe, reinforcing Allied deterrence and defence as Russia continues its military build-up in and around Ukraine.

The US Department of Defense has also announced that nearly 8,500 US troops have been put on heightened alert for a possible deployment due to escalating tensions on the Russia-Ukraine border.

John Kirby, the Defense Department's spokesperson, said on Monday during a press briefing that putting US forces on heightened alert is to ensure that the US will get ready to respond to a possible decision by NATO to deploy its 40,000-strong multinational response force known as NRF, which could be shored up on short notice.

"This is really about reassuring the eastern flank of NATO," Kirby said, adding the order, which came from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the direction of President Joe Biden, was about "proving how seriously the US takes our commitment to NATO" and to the alliance's collective defense commitment, Xinhua news agency reported.

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In the past days, a number of NATO allies have made announcements regarding current or upcoming deployments. Denmark is sending a frigate to the Baltic Sea and is set to deploy four F-16 fighter jets to Lithuania in support of NATO's long-standing air-policing mission in the region. Spain is sending ships to join NATO naval forces and is considering sending fighter jets to Bulgaria, NATO said in a statement on Monday.

France has expressed its readiness to send troops to Romania under NATO command. The Netherlands is sending two F-35 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria from April to support NATO's air-policing activities in the region and is putting ship and land-based units on standby for NATO's Response Force. The US has also made clear that it is considering increasing its military presence in the eastern part of the alliance, the statement added.

"I welcome Allies contributing additional forces to NATO. NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to protect and defend all Allies, including by reinforcing the eastern part of the Alliance. We will always respond to any deterioration of our security environment, including through strengthening our collective defence," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

In response to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO said it increased its presence in the eastern part of the alliance, including with four multinational battlegroups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. These units, led by the UK, Canada, Germany and the US respectively, are multinational, and combat-ready. Their presence makes clear that an attack on one Ally will be considered an attack on the whole Alliance. There were no NATO forces in the eastern part of the Alliance before 2014.

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Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday said that a huge build-up of Ukrainian forces on the Donbas line of contact indicates Kiev is preparing for an attack. Peskov also pointed out that information hysteria in the West, not Russia, should be blamed for the increased tensions around Ukraine, reported Sputnik.

"Indeed, the Ukrainian authorities are concentrating a huge amount of forces and equipment on the border with the self-proclaimed republics on the line of contact. Indeed, the nature of this concentration points to preparations for offensive operations, and, indeed, there is such a threat now", said Peskov.

He said that in this case, Moscow would like to see NATO countries urge Kiev not to even think about the possibility of a military settlement in Ukraine. "The threat of provocations from Kiev in Donbas is now very high, even higher than before", the Kremlin spokesman noted.

Meanwhile, Peskov commenting on drills in the Baltic Sea said that Russian troops cannot ignore the increased NATO activity near borders of the country, reported Sputnik. NATO has announced that it is increasing its presence in Eastern Europe over the situation in Ukraine.

Russia's Baltic Fleet later said that two corvettes went on a long voyage, which will take place as part of mass exercises led by the commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, reported Sputnik.

"First of all, you should ask the Defense Ministry about this. Secondly, such actions by NATO and the increased activity of NATO near our borders cannot be ignored by our military, who are responsible for the security of our country. And thirdly, there is still a constant process of exercises, maneuvers, military construction, which has never stopped and will continue to continue," said Peskov.

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