NATO is stepping up military preparations in the Baltic states amid the possibility of an armed conflict with Russia, according to the German newspaper Welt, citing reports from the dpa news agency.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are reinforcing their border regions by constructing bunkers, installing defensive barriers and deploying unmanned systems. Meanwhile, Germany and the Netherlands are developing plans to rapidly move troops into the region. More than 70 generals and senior NATO officers from the two countries have already visited the Baltic states to assess potential combat areas.

Christian Freuding, Germany’s Inspector of the Army, warned that NATO forces could be outnumbered by the Russian military in a potential confrontation. The alliance is therefore strengthening its counter-drone capabilities and electronic warfare systems to address vulnerabilities identified in its military planning.

The German Bundeswehr is also considering purchasing cruise missiles with a range of up to 1,500 kilometers as part of its efforts to expand military capabilities.

Earlier, Vladislav Maslennikov, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of European Affairs, accused NATO of expanding its military infrastructure across the Baltic region and conducting exercises directed against Russia. He also claimed that European countries are seeking to tighten their control over international maritime shipping.