Nato 'getting ready' for Putin

British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said yesterday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was a "real and present danger" to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - and Nato was getting ready to repel any aggression.

Fallon, whose remarks were published as Britain said it had scrambled jets to see off Russian Bear bombers off its coast, said Putin could launch an undercover campaign to destabilise the three former Soviet Baltic republics, which are members of the Nato alliance.

"I'm worried about Putin," Fallon told Britain's The Times and Daily Telegraph newspapers.

He said there was "a very real and present danger" that Russia would adopt the same tactics against the Baltic states that it used against eastern Ukraine and Crimea.

"I'm worried about his pressure on the Baltics, the way he is testing Nato. Nato has to be ready for any kind of aggression from Russia, whatever form it takes. Nato is getting ready," he said.

Russia bridled at the remarks.

"The comments of Mr Fallon are already beyond diplomatic ethics and the characterisation of Russia is completely intolerable," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.

Fallon made his remarks as fighting raged in eastern Ukraine despite European efforts to resurrect a stillborn ceasefire.

Fallon also raised concerns about increased Russian air activity around Britain.

Two RAF Typhoon fighters were scrambled on Wednesday night to "escort" two Russian long-range Tupolev TU-95 "Bear" bombers flying off Cornwall in the second such incident this month.

The Russian bombers were picked up in international airspace to the northwest of Britain and escorted as they flew south, then turned around and flew north.

A fortnight ago another Russian bomber flew above the English Channel and the UK government demanded an explanation from the Russian ambassador.

Fallon earlier this month said Britain would again send four Typhoon fighter jets this year to help Nato with air policing over the Baltic states, and promised that up to 1000 British troops would join the Nato rapid reaction force.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said Russia posed a threat to the wider region, including Moldova, which on Wednesday chose a pro-European businessman as prime minister.

"Russia is behaving aggressively now as we speak," he said.

"I really do see threats to all countries ... I shouldn't say just to the Baltic states but also with regard to others."

A television channel owned by Russia's defence ministry has broadcast a video clip showing Nato jets, including RAF Typhoons, flying alongside a Russian bomber.

TV Zvezda said one of its correspondents had filmed the footage from a Bear bomber. The channel said the Bear had been in a neutral zone on the border with Nato airspace when it was intercepted.

It is not known when the video was shot.