A top NATO commander warned that "continual attacks" against Ukraine were hampering Kiev's efforts to modernise its army enough to one day join the Western military alliance.
Western powers are getting set to counter an expertly crafted Russian disinformation campaign over Ukraine which has left them wrong-footed too many times for comfort.
Top Russian defence officials lashed out at the USA, accusing it of undermining global security by funding revolutions and expanding NATO in a bid to contain Russia.
NATO allies are scrambling to protect vulnerable Baltic partners from the threat of hybrid warfare, a Russian tactic that officials and experts say is based on deception rather than formal declaration of war.
Estonia's centre-left coalition is poised to return to power in an election marked by nerves in the NATO member over the military resurgence of Russia.
NATO defence ministers agreed to immediately set up six bases in eastern Europe and establish a spearhead force of 5,000 troops in response to Russian aggression.