The United States in the framework of military exercises temporarily deployed in the Baltic States, the Patriot missile defense system, reports Voice of America.

The deployment of a missile defense system should send a powerful signal that the US supports Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which are worried about the growing Russian threat in the region.

As a senior US official said, the system is deployed in July and rolled up before the Russian military exercises scheduled for August-September. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation can use up to 100,000 troops in the West exercises in the Kaliningrad region and in the west of Russia.

During an official visit to Vilnius, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis declined to comment on the placement of the Patriot system, but stressed that the American command is taking steps solely to strengthen the NATO Allies'.

"Our position is completely defensive. Everybody knows that these are not offensive weapons, "the head of the Pentagon stressed..

President of Lithuania Dalia Gribaiskaite, in her turn, noted that Vilnius counts on military support of Washington.

"We need all means to defend and deter. And we will take this decision together. The security of the Baltic countries is the security of the Alliance. The role of the United States is irreplaceable, "the Lithuanian President stressed..

Earlier it was reported that, according to intelligence from Lithuania, Russia had increased its strength and the ability to launch an offensive against any of the three Baltic countries in 24 hours, thereby limiting NATO's ability to respond to aggression properly.

The Guardian wrote that Lithuania is afraid of propaganda of Russia as a prelude to the invasion.

In Vilnius, they are afraid that Moscow is coming up with an alternative history in order to justify aggression, as in the Crimea.

At the beginning of the year, Germany sent BMPs and tanks to Lithuania in the framework of NATO efforts aimed at containing aggressive Russia. Germany will carry out the command of NATO's international allied battalion in Lithuania, the total number of which will be about 1200 people. The US will command in Poland, the British in Estonia, and the Canadians in Latvia.