U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter says Washington will preposition tanks, artillery, and other military equipment in Eastern and Central Europe, in a move to reassure NATO allies concerned by Russia's intervention in Ukraine.
Carter, during a trip to Estonia's capital, Tallinn, said on June 23 that the Baltic states -- Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia -- as well as Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland have agreed to host elements of this equipment.
Some of the equipment would also be located in Germany.
A fact sheet provided by the U.S. military said the United States' prepositioning would include about 250 tanks, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and self-propelled howitzers.
The amount of equipment that would be temporarily stored in each country would be enough to supply either a company -- enough for about 150 soldiers -- or a battalion -- about 750 soldiers.
Officials say much of the equipment is already in Europe.
A Russian Defense Ministry official said stationing tanks and heavy weapons in NATO states on Russia's border would be the most aggressive U.S. act since the Cold War.
