President Putin has authorised an aggressive military response to an intensification of NATO activity in the Baltic Sea, preparing Russia for a potential war with NATO and its allies. Russian ambassador to NATO, Alexander Grushko, said that the country is preparing a full-on military and political response to NATO’s hostile behavior in the area. “A decision to deploy (NATO’s) extra battalions changes the regional situation in the sphere of security qualitatively,” he told Kommrersant FM business news radio on Friday, “today this situation is acquiring new parameters and it’ll surely require not only a political response but also the appropriate military precautions.” Tass.ru reports: The Russian military “will watch with much attention what means might be necessary to neutralize the risks” associated with NATO’s growing activity. “It’s all too obvious that measures will be taken and our partners at the Russia-NATO Council shouldn’t get surprised over it,” Grushko said. “All the realistically thinking politicians and military realize that any action will trigger an equal counteraction sooner or later.” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said earlier four combat battalions will be deployed in Poland and three former Soviet Baltic republic of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. From June 3 to June 19 NATO holds [...]