Russia holding largest post-Cold War military drill

This week, Russia and Belarus are conducting large-scale military exercises close to their borders with Poland and the Baltic States. 

The Russians say it's defensive, simulating its response to an attack from a country on its western borders. But leaders of nervous NATO countries fear a darker purpose. 

They point to Russia's annexation of Crimea and its war with Georgia, both preceded by similar exercises.

NATO is responding with its own reinforcements like these American tanks arriving in Poland and a sniper exercise in Lithuania.

"The Russians insist these exercises are purely defensive, but there is no doubt it is modernising and upgrading its military and time of heightened tension with the west, and holding such a large exercise here, at such a time sends a clear signal," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. 

TRT World’s Simon McGregor-Wood reports from Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

The United States has sent a reinforced detachment of fighter planes to police the skies over NATO members Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia during the Russian exercise.

Seven US F-15C fighters landed at Siauliai airfield last month, three more than normally used since the NATO policing mission was upgraded after the Crimean crisis.

The three Baltic states do not operate their own fighter aircraft and rely on their NATO allies for patrols.

Ukraine in the meantime is hosting its own military drill beginning Sept. 8 till Sept. 23. The exercise will be conducted mainly by NATO member countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey.

Russia accuses NATO of building up forces on its frontiers in a manner reminiscent of the Cold War. But NATO says it is protecting the interests of member states bordering Russia who are troubled by Moscow's annexation of Crimea and links to pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.