The United States sent extra fighter planes to guard the Baltic skies as Russia and Belarus prepare to conduct military exercises next month, joining three other NATO monitors to observe the war games -- despite Russian officials insisting the exercises pose no threat. Seven U.S. F-15 fighters arrived in Siauliai airfield in Lithuania this week, three more planes than the usual amount sent, Reuters reported Wednesday. The military exercises are expected to occur between Sept. 14 and 20 in Belarus, western Russia and Russia' enclave of Kaliningrad, with fewer than 13,000 troops participating in it. And the purpose of the air policing mission is to protect the sovereign skies of the three Baltic nations," Wolters said. NATO members are concerned the Russian military will leave soldiers in Belarus after the exercises are over, allowing Putin to send troops quickly across the border if he plans to invade.

Source: Fox News August 30, 2017 18:45 UTC