BRUSSELS, March 24./TASS/. NATO creates four additional multinational battlegrounds in Europe in response to the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, says a statement circulated after an extraordinary NATO summit on Thursday.

"We are also establishing four additional multinational battlegroups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. We are taking all measures and decisions to ensure the security and defence of all Allies across all domains and with a 360-degree approach," the statement said.

"Our measures remain preventive, proportionate, and non-escalatory," the document stressed.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics. He stressed Russia had no intention of occupying the country, the operation was aimed at the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine. In response, the US, the EU, Britain and a number of other countries announced sanctions against Russian individuals and entities.