Nato forces ‘100% ready’ to defend Europe’s borders if Russia invades

Nato forces are “100% ready” to defend Europe should Putin decide to invade, a British military commander has told PA news agency. Lieutenant Colonel Ru Streatfeild, who is leading the organisation’s battlegroup in Estonia, said British troops were “buzzing” and immensely proud” to be helping reinforce the country’s eastern border with Russia. Troops led by the UK’s 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh, which he commands and have recently been deployed to the Baltic State, took part in a large-scale exercise on Tapa military base, only 70 miles from the Russian border, on Thursday.Exercise Bold Dragon involved around 2,300 soldiers from UK, French, Danish and Estonian ranks using tanks, including the British Challenger 2 tanks, armoured infantry, engineers, artillery and logistics.