At the end of the month the alliance will hold its biggest military exercises in years in Poland, with some 4000 US soldiers taking part. It is just one of a seres of measures Washington is taking to reassure its allies following Russia’s interfering in Ukraine.

“We take these actions as another example of provocative military activities close to the Russian borders in the frameworks of infamous policy of Russian containment. It is obvious the goal of these efforts as well as hasty deployment of heavy military assets in Europe is an attempt of the outgoing Obama’s administration to complicate as much as possible the bilateral relations,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

The Dutch are contributing more than 100 vehicles coming by train, but ships have been disembarking armour and APCs from the US and Canada, and German elements are coming by road.

NATO insists planned deployments in eastern Europe are purely defensive. (Euronews)

Drawsko Pomorskie ??—53 vehicles including 18 self-propelled howitzers from @4thInfDiv arrived on Jan 9 as part of armored brigade rotation pic.twitter.com/i4SUdECBeh

— US Mission to NATO (@USNATO) 11 gennaio 2017

Why is 3ABCT, @4thInfDiv deploying to Europe? As 1st LT Hart explains: we're there to train w/Allies & practice moving soldiers, equipment pic.twitter.com/wd4Qs5ql8z

— US Mission to NATO (@USNATO) 10 gennaio 2017

Europe while listening to Gen. #Mattis on #NATO. #defense #security #military #alliance pic.twitter.com/j2h2Qy4aIN

— Velina Tchakarova (@vtchakarova) 12 gennaio 2017

US troops winter training in #Estonia. 1st steps are difficult, but a new skill is always good! https://t.co/Ti4fI9CebV pic.twitter.com/tbqCrstDlj

— MoD Estonia (@MoD_Estonia) 11 gennaio 2017