Daria Chernyshova, RIA Novosti (Russia)
NATO has repeatedly blamed Russia for the escalation of tensions in Ukraine and building up arms and troops on the country’s border. The alliance has already used the crisis to justify an expansion of its military forces near Russian borders, bumping up the number of air patrol missions in Eastern Europe. On Thursday, the Russian Defense Ministry called on NATO and the Pentagon to stop their “cynical deceptions” to the world community in regard to the situation on the border with Ukraine.