Monthly Archives: February 2017

German soldiers stationed in Lithuania have been the target of false rape claims, German news magazine "Spiegel" first reported on Thursday. NATO diplomats told Spiegel that they viewed this as an attack aimed at undermining the presence of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Eastern Europe, likely perpetrated by Russia.

Emails claiming that German soldiers had raped an underage Lithuanian girl were sent to the president of the Lithuanian parliament and various Lithuanian media outlets on February 14.

Lithuanian authorities investigated the charges and found no evidence that any of the claims made in the emails were true. "To our knowledge, Lithuanian police investigations came to the conclusion that there were neither a victim nor possible witnesses nor any perpetrators", a spokesperson for the German ministry of defense said.

Some smaller local news outlets reported on the charges, according to Spiegel, but Lithuanian officials quickly discounted the accusations.

Lithuanian police is investigating the incident. The address from which the emails accusing the soldiers were sent no longer exists, according to the German defense ministry, but authorities are looking to track the IP-address.

NATO is moving eastward

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels that there had been several previous attempts to spread disinformation about NATO and that the organization was on constant alert.

The German troop presence in Lithuania is part of an "enhance forward presence"mission in NATO's Eastern territories. The military alliance made up of Canada, the United States and 26 European countries is upping its military presence in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin's involvement in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. NATO troops are stationed in Poland and in the three Baltic states - Lithuania, Estonia andLatvia. Germany is heading the recently begun mission in Lithuania and deployed its first soldiers in early February.

For many Germans, the alleged misinformation campaign in Lithuania echoesthe "Lisa case". In early 2016, Russian media outlets picked up the story of a 13-year old Russian-German girl named Lisa who claimed that she had been abducted and raped by Arab refugees in Berlin a lie the girl had made up in order to not get in trouble with her parents after spending the night at male friend's place. Hundreds of Russian-Germans took to the street in protests in response to the reports, claiming that German authorities were neglecting the "Lisa case" for political reasons.

mb/ss,kl(AFP, dpa)

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NATO: Russia targeted German army with fake news campaign - Deutsche Welle

There will be no military cooperation with Russia and Vladimir Putins government must show that it is ready to abide by international law, Americas Defence Secretary has declared, as he accused the Kremlin of interfering in a series of elections in democratic states.

The combative stance taken by General James Mattis at a Nato summit in Brussels appeared to contradict that of Donald Trump, who has declared that he wanted to cooperate with Mr Putin, a man he has repeatedly praisedon counter-terrorism, especially against Isis in Syria.

The US President has only belatedly acknowledged that Moscow carried out hacking operations in the election which brought him to power, after a long period denying that was the case.

Mr Putin raised the issue of security today, stating that it was vital to have cooperation with the US and Nato. Its in everyones interest to resume dialogue between the intelligence agencies of the United States and other members of Nato. It is absolutely clear that in the area of counter-terrorism all relevant government departments and international groups should work together,said the Russian President.

Speaking soon afterwards, Mr Mattis made it clear that there was a trust deficit with Moscow. Asked whether he believed that Russia interfered in the American presidential elections, Mr Mattis answered: There is very little doubt that Russia has interfered, or attempted to interfere, in a number of elections in democracies. On joint military action with Moscow in Syria, he was adamant: We are not in a position right now to collaborate on a military level.

Political talks will take place, said the US Defence Secretary, to seek a way forward where Russia, living up to its commitments, will return to a partnership of sorts here with Nato.

But, Russia is going to have to prove itself first, he said.

The Nato summit hosted discussions on counter-terrorism, but most of the agenda was designed to counter alleged Russian aggression ranging from conventional military to cyber attacks.

Several member states in eastern Europe have said they have been targeted in hacking operations. Earlier in the week, Ciaran Martin, the head of the UKs new National Cyber Security Centre, revealed that political parties in Britain asked for help following cyber attacks during the 2015 UK general election and the hacking of Democratic Party emails in the US elections.

Nato military units are continuing to be deployed in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and the naval presence will be increased in the Black Sea region. Russia has complained that the build-up of troops at its borders is in breach of past pledges by the alliance, and spurious threats were being manufactured in the Black Sea region to justify an enlarged Western presence there.

Natos Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, insisted at the summit: Our aim is to prevent conflict, not to provoke it. We will not match Russia soldier for soldier, tank for tank, plane for plane. Our deployments are defensive and measured. Our presence in the Black Sea will in no way aim at provoking any conflict or escalating tensions.

Mr Mattis has demanded that Nato raise their defence spending to alleviate the disproportionate contribution being made to the alliances budget by the US. This would, in part, help Nato to negotiate from a position of strength, he held.

This led to another spat with the Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, saying that attempts to build a dialogue with Russia from a position of strength would be futile. The US Defence Secretary hit back: I have no need to respond to the Russian statement at all. Nato has always stood for military strength and protection of the democracies and the freedoms we intend to pass on to our children.

However, dialogue wastaking place with the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, meeting in Germany, and the military chiefs of the two countries, USmarine General Joseph Dunford and the Russian General Valery Gerasimov in Azerbaijan. Mr Lavrov repeated Russias denial of hacking during the American election. You should know we do not interfere in the domestic matters of other countries,he said.

The Kremlin continued to refuse to comment publicly on the turmoil which has enmeshed the Trump administration, with Michael Flynn, the Presidents national security advisor, being forced to resign over clandestine contact with the Russian ambassador to the US and an investigation under way into links between the Trump election team and Russia.

But Konstantin Kosachyov, the head of the international affairs committee in the Duma, protested that even a readiness for a dialogue with Russians is seen in Washington as a thought crime. Either Trump has not found an independence he was looking for, and is being gradually cornered, or Russophobia has infected the new administration top down.

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US officials adopt combative tone on Russia at Nato summit - The Independent

Miami Herald

AP Interview: Lithuania confident of US commitment to NATO Miami Herald Lithuania's defense minister said Thursday he is confident that all NATO allies will help protect his country from Russia despite recent concern over the U.S. commitment to European security. Raimundas Karoblis told The Associated Press that he had no ... and more »

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AP Interview: Lithuania confident of US commitment to NATO - Miami Herald

February 16, 2017 at 12:34 pm | The Associated Press

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, second right, speaks with Georgia's Defense Minister Levan Izoria, left, during a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Council at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday told NATO ministers that the alliance is "a fundamental bedrock for the United States" while at the same time demanding an increased financial commitment from the 27 other alliance members. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, right, speaks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday told NATO ministers that the alliance is "a fundamental bedrock for the United States" while at the same time demanding an increased financial commitment from the 27 other alliance members. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, right, speaks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, center, and British Secretary of State for Defense Michael Fallon, left, during a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday told NATO ministers that the alliance is "a fundamental bedrock for the United States" while at the same time demanding an increased financial commitment from the 27 other alliance members. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, second right, speaks with Georgia's Defense Minister Levan Izoria, left, during a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Council at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday told NATO ministers that the alliance is "a fundamental bedrock for the United States" while at the same time demanding an increased financial commitment from the 27 other alliance members. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, right, speaks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday told NATO ministers that the alliance is "a fundamental bedrock for the United States" while at the same time demanding an increased financial commitment from the 27 other alliance members. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, right, speaks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, center, and British Secretary of State for Defense Michael Fallon, left, during a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday told NATO ministers that the alliance is "a fundamental bedrock for the United States" while at the same time demanding an increased financial commitment from the 27 other alliance members. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

BRUSSELS (AP) NATO defense ministers have decided to beef up the military alliance's naval presence in the Black Sea in response to an increasingly aggressive Russia.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that NATO will hold more war games and training in the strategically important sea, which borders allies Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania, but also Russia, Ukraine and Georgia.

Russia's naval fleet based at Sevastopol in Crimea has been a major concern for NATO.

Stoltenberg told reporters after chairing the talks in Brussels that the move "will be measured, it will be defensive, and it will in no way aim at provoking any conflict or escalating tensions."

Several NATO allies are already providing troops to 3,000-5,000-strong land force in Romania.

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NATO to boost naval presence in Black Sea - Beloit Daily News

New York Times

Donald Trump, NATO, Boeing: Your Thursday Briefing New York Times President Trump with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel at the White House on Wednesday. Credit Stephen Crowley/The New York Times. (Want to get this briefing by email? Here's the sign-up.) Good morning. Here's what you need to know:. and more »

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Donald Trump, NATO, Boeing: Your Thursday Briefing - New York Times

Stars and Stripes

NATO seeks to boost Black Sea presence and cyber defenses Stars and Stripes BRUSSELS NATO agreed on Thursday to bolster its presence in the Black Sea in the latest expansion of alliance forces across a strategic region where allies have steadily added ground forces and air power, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. NATO Recommits Support for Afghan ForcesTOLOnews all 1,090 news articles »

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NATO seeks to boost Black Sea presence and cyber defenses - Stars and Stripes