BERLIN, 7 November. /TASS/. The North-Atlantic Alliance plans major military drills with thousands of troops in Eastern Europe and Baltic States, General Hans-Lothar Domrose, a Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum said Friday.
According to him, the Alliance is creating rapid reaction forces numbering 5-7 thousand troops that can reach the combat area within two-five days.

The plan of action to increase combat capabilities of the NATO was approved at the summit in Wales on 5 September this year.

NATO former Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen didn't specify the location of the rapid reaction forces.

Hans-Lothar Domrose said on 15 September to the Rheinische post that the Alliance may deploy weapons in Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. He also noted that the Alliance respects agreements with Russia and the troops will not be there permanently.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin late Octber said that instead of settling international problems in a civilized way, NATO uses force, economic, information pressure levers.

Russian Ambassador to NATO Alexander Grushko said in an interview with Kommersant daily on Wednesday that implementation of the NATO Wales summit decisions proves that the Alliance intends to continue increasing operation readiness and move its military infrastructure to the Russian borders.