From Bloomberg:  NATO launched a string of military exercises in the European Union’s three Baltic members Monday to reassure the region about its presence.

The “Baltic Host 2010” exercise involving about 200 military and civil officials will test Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania receiving “a large allied contingent to avert a regional crisis,” Estonia’s commander of defense forces, Lt. Gen. Ants Laaneots, told journalists on Friday. Sea and land maneuvers dubbed “Baltops 2010” and “Saber Strike 2010” in coming months will deploy as many as 1,600 military personnel each, including “about” 500 U.S. Marines, he said. …

“This is a landmark historical event for us,” Estonian Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo told journalists in Tallinn. “If someone views this action as aggressive, its scale is only a 10th of Russia’s war games held not far from our borders last year.”  (photo: Delfi)

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