MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. The US troop deployments to the Baltic states and Eastern Europe may escalate tension in the region, Head of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrey Kartapolov said on Monday.

The New York Times reported on January 23, citing sources in the American administration that US President Joe Biden was considering deploying US troops, combat aircraft and warships to the Baltic states and Eastern Europe. As the paper said, the US administration was considering sending "several thousand" American troops.

"It is this troop redeployment and the military build-up that will be a cause for escalation and tension in the region. Now it is clear who is interested in escalating the situation and who continues destabilizing it - it is the United States. For us, this is alarming information, of course," Kartapolov told reporters as he commented on the article in the US paper.

As the Russian politician stressed, Russia "will not leave these actions unanswered and will take adequate measures to respond to mounting threats."