Russian Foreign Ministry: Build-up of NATO forces in Baltic countries by Russian borders increasing confrontation

MOSCOW. March 12 (Interfax) - The build-up of the NATO infrastructure and forces in the Baltic countries is a provocation and is increasing confrontation in the region, Russian Foreign Ministry Second European Department Director Sergei Belyayev said.

"The build-up of the NATO forces and infrastructure directly by our borders, the plans of their permanent deployment are a deliberate provocation and considerably increase the degree of confrontation in the Baltic area," he said in an interview with Interfax.

"All of that it done under the pretense of a fictional threat posed by Russia," the diplomat said. "In the meantime, our country has never threatened and is not threatening the alliance," Belyayev said.

"Unfortunately, the Baltic countries, obediently following all instructions from Washington, are traditionally playing the role of provocateurs in the situation, hiding behind the so-called 'frontline status' they invented themselves," he said. "As you understand, their rhetoric and calls are especially dangerous and unacceptable now," he said.

"Naturally, we're recording all that and making necessary conclusions," Belyayev said.