Russia Says NATO's Planned Eastward Buildup Is Destabilizing

NATO's plan of its biggest buildup in eastern Europe since the Cold War is a destabilizing factor designed to contain Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

Worried since Russia's seizure of Crimea that Moscow could present a threat to Eastern Europe, the Western military alliance says it wants to bolster defenses on its eastern flank without provoking the Kremlin by stationing large forces permanently.