Lithuanian defence minister: Russia trying to justify its own aggression

Russia is trying to justify its own aggression by mixing up the causes and consequences in its new military doctrine which places emphasis on the threat from the NATO.

Such a statement has been made by Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas, delfi.lt informs.

“It’s like putting the cart before the horse. When the NATO was not taking additional action, they militarized Russia’s western part, the Kaliningrad region and annexed neighboring countries,” the minister said.

Olekas believes that Russia looks at the moves of the NATO to enhance its security as a threat, and justifies its previous aggressive actions by these measures.

“Now, when NATO is deploying capabilities for the defense and deterrence purposes, they are trying to say that it’s the cause why they did that in Georgia eight years ago and in Ukraine a year ago. It’s a complete confusion of the cause and the effect," Olekas noted.

The rapid-reaction force was created in Lithuania two month ago, and now it is placed on high alert. The reason for that are the military activities of Russia observed by the Baltic States’ military everywhere – on land, on sea and in the air.