Number of troops in NATO contingent in Baltic republics, Poland, Romania grows 23-fold, number of planes up 8-fold over past year – Shoigu

MOSCOW. Dec 11 (Interfax) – The number of troops deployed in the Baltic republics and Central Europe has grown manifold over the past year, and modernization of U.S. nuclear air bombs is pending.

“Over the past year alone, the NATO contingent in the Baltic countries, Poland and Romania has grown eight-fold in terms of planes and 23-fold by the number of troops,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry board.

In his words, about 200 U.S. nuclear air bombs have been amassed in the territories of Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Turkey. “They are planned to be modernized,” Shoigu said.

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