France to send tanks and troops to Russian border
A 300-member unit from the French army and Foreign Legion will be deployed next week to the Estonian town of Tapa, just 140 kilometers from the Russian border, according to the French embassy in Tallinn.
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| French Army. AFP |
On April 23, nearly 300 soldiers, as well as four tanks and 20 infantry fighting vehicles (BMPs) from France will arrive in Estonia, according to the press service of the French Embassy in the Baltic republic.
It is known that troops and military equipment will be deployed in the city of Tapa, just 140 km from the Russian border. The French army will be in Estonia within the framework of the NATO mission to strengthen the alliance's military presence in the Baltic States and Poland (FRA-EFP LYNX). The troops will include soldiers of the second brigade, French troops and mercenaries from the Foreign Legion. The military equipment will be delivered by rail.
The diplomatic mission added that the troops will stay in Estonia until the end of August this year.
In recent years, Russia has claimed that NATO's activity on its western borders has increased at an unprecedented pace. NATO is expanding its initiatives, calling them "operations aimed at deterring Russian aggression." Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern about the alliance's military buildup in Europe. The Kremlin has previously stated that Russia poses no threat to anyone, but will not disregard actions that could endanger its interests.
