The troops have been deployed to reassure allies fearful of Russia in what Forces TV called 'Britains biggest mission since Afghanistan.' <\/p>\n
The 150 Light Dragoons have joined a 1,100 strong American-led forces which will be based just 100 miles from Russian territory. <\/p>\n
In total at least 1,350 American, British and Romanian soldiers have been sent to Poland from a base in Germany. <\/p>\n
Brigadier General Timothy McGuire, the US Army's Deputy Commander in Europe, spoke to soldiers shortly before their departure reiterating the purpose of their mission. <\/p>\n
GETTY <\/p>\n
He said: This is no invasion force but if necessary it will deter threats. <\/p>\n
US army commander Lt. Col. Steven Gventer, insisted that the mission was not being treated as a drill by troops. <\/p>\n
He said: You never start a fight but you always finish it. <\/p>\n
We'll always be prepared to do that but that's not our desire. <\/p>\n
The decision from NATO comes as Putin moved missile systems and troops into the Kaliningrad oblast, which borders Poland and Lithuania. The outcrop of Russian territory is a relic of the Soviet Union and is seperated from the rest of Russia by other Baltic states. <\/p>\n
Around 4,000 Nato troops have been placed across Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. <\/p>\n
Getty Images <\/p>\n
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Members of the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade fire blanks from a machine gun during a simulated attack <\/p>\n
This is no invasion force but if necessary it will deter threats <\/p>\n
US army commander Lt. Col. Steven Gventer <\/p>\n
A fleet of 300 UK military vehicles are set to be delivered to Estonia including Challenger 2, Titan and Trojan tanks and AS90 self-propelled artillery pieces. <\/p>\n
A 450 strong German force has been sent to Lithuania to work alongside Belgian and Danish soldiers in the region. <\/p>\n
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: In the face of an increasingly assertive Russia, Nato is stepping up its commitment to collective defence. <\/p>\n
British troops will play a leading role in Estonia and support our US allies in Poland, as part of wider efforts to defend Nato. <\/p>\n
Our rising defence budget means we can support those deployments in the long-term and strengthen our commitment to European security. <\/p>\n
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See the original post: The troops have been deployed to reassure allies fearful of Russia in what Forces TV called 'Britains biggest mission since Afghanistan.' The 150 Light Dragoons have joined a 1,100 strong American-led forces which will be based just 100 miles from Russian territory. Continue reading
\n'Biggest mission since Afghanistan' British troops mass in Poland to 'deter Russia' - Express.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"