Russian military forces conduct exercises in western regions, including near the Baltic border

MOSCOW – Russian air, ground and missile forces are conducting exercises in the western reaches of the country amid concerns that Moscow is pursuing an increasingly intimidating policy toward Europe.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that 10 regiments equipped with Yars and Topol mobile ICBM launchers were on "combat patrol routes" in the country's western and central military districts. It did not specify how far from the borders with Ukraine and Western European countries the exercises in the western region were.

Separately, the Interfax news agency cited the military as saying artillery and helicopter exercises were taking place in the Pskov and Leningradsky regions, both of which border former Soviet Baltic republics.