Lithuanian Defense Minister: Participants Of "West-2017" Military Exercises To Train Attacks Against NATO

Participants of the exercises will simulate offensive actions against Poland and the Baltic countries.

The military exercises "West", which Russia and Belarus will held in September, cause concern because they will be simulating actions against the NATO bloc, Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis said.

"The fact that these military exercises are really large, but their transparency is really weak, is the main problem today. To put it mildly, it is unpleasant, they simulate attacks against the so-called high-potential countries, and this is the NATO alliance," – Karoblis said in the program "Nedelia" of the LRT channel, delfi.lt writes.

According to him, the participants of the exercises will train offensive actions against Poland and the Baltic countries. "This is not a defensive simulation; it seems to be a simulation of offensive actions against NATO, specifically against the Baltic countries, and, apparently, Poland. Yes, these are intelligence data - both ours and acquired from our allies - first of all, we are talking about exercises, there were no preludes telling about a complete or partial conflict," – the Defense Minister said.

According to him, the biggest risk of the exercises, which can now be seen - possible errors: "local attempts to check vigilance by other means."

In April, the State Security Department of Lithuania (VSD) and the Second Investigation Department under Ministry of National Defense published an assessment of the threats to the national security of the country, according to which Russia, which strengthened its military capabilities in the western part of the country and in the Kaliningrad region, could now begin military operations against the Baltic states within 24-48 hours.

Intelligence services also alert to possible provocations on the border during the forthcoming military exercises "West-2017" of Russia and Belarus in September. The Belarusian Defense Minister then said that 13,000 service members would participate in the exercises "West-2017" on September 14-20, and these would be exercises of a defensive nature.

According to Lithuanian intelligence, "it is likely that the actual number of participants in the exercise will be greater, and the scenario of the exercises will include an armed conflict with NATO."

Part of the exercises will take place near the Lithuanian border, a lot of Russian military personnel and military equipment will be deployed to the territory of Belarus.