Opinion: Missile palisade near Russia will cost too much for Europe

The Czech Republic, Lithuania and Romania are hosting the US-led military exercises, Tobruq Legacy 2017. On the eve of the exercises, the United States moved its Patriot missiles to Lithuania.

For Russian military analyst Andrei Koshkin, the US is building a missile palisade near Russian borders and forcing European countries to pay for it.

Three European countries are hosting the Tobruq Legacy 17 military exercises (TOLY 17) headed this year by the United States, according to the NATO website allied to the Air Command in Ramstein, Germany.

"The exercises, which will be carried out until July 22, not only serve to verify newly acquired capabilities, but offer the opportunity to increase the level of interoperability of Air and Antisemitic Defense forces, "said the NATO website."

The number of participating forces increased rapidly to 2,200 officers and more than 800 vehicles from 13 countries. For the second time, the NATO Operational Air Command Center in Uedem, Germany, is involved in the exercises. Its role is to introduce and apply the Alliance's standards, doctrines, and tactics.

On the eve of the exercises, the US moved the long-range Patriot missile system to Lithuania for the first time, according to the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense.

The Patriot was installed alongside the defense systems used by NATO. About 500 soldiers and 30 air defense systems from Lithuania, UK, USA, Latvia and Poland are involved in the exercises.

Commenting on the installation of another US missile system near Russian borders, military analyst Andrei Koshkin pointed out to Russian Sputnik radio service that the system will continue in the country even after the end of the exercises.

"The US wants to install these systems in the Baltic States, Poland and Romania, which means that everything is in accordance with the plans.These exercises are part of the missile systems displacement plan.As a result, a missile palisade "This is part of NATO's modernization of infrastructure, which is moving closer to Russia," Koshkin told Russian Radio Sputnik.

According to the military analyst, Europe is already prepared for such modernization, but wants Washington to pay the bill. Sweden has already announced that it is prepared to install these systems in its territory.

But the United States does not plan to move the missiles for free.

"Donald Trump made it clear that if the countries buy the missile systems, the US will offer high-class operations. I am sure the US will influence the border countries to install these systems in order to create a missile palisade without gaps; And especially at the expense of other countries. There is no intention to donate them, "concluded Andrei Koskin.