DISINFO: NATO, led by the US, is closing in on Russia's borders, pushing the infrastructure forward
SUMMARY
NATO, led by the US, is closing in on Russia’s borders, constantly pushing the infrastructure forward. The alliance’s forces have thoroughly taken control of the territory of the Baltic States and Poland. Now they are also trying to settle in Ukraine.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about NATO threatening Russia and NATO's expansion. The claim that NATO is encircling Russia is one of the myths about NATO. Russia's land border is just over 20,000 kilometres long. Of that, less than one-sixteenth (1,215 kilometres), is shared with NATO members. Russia has land borders with 14 countries. Only five of them are NATO members.
Outside NATO territory, the Alliance only has a military presence in two places: Kosovo and Afghanistan. Both operations are carried out with a United Nations mandate, endorsed by the UN Security Council, of which Russia is a member. In contrast, Russia has military bases and soldiers in three EU's Eastern neighborhood countries – Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine – without the consent of their governments. NATO's presence in the Baltic countries or Poland, is at the request of the host nations.
NATO does not "expand" in the imperialistic sense described by the Kremlin and Russian state media, but instead considers the applications of candidate countries that want to join the defensive alliance of their own national will. NATO enlargement is not directed against Russia.