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A Spanish naval ship, the BAM Meteoro, has been journeying to the Black Sea from the Canary Islands this week amid the growing speculation on possible conflict with Russia over Ukraine. This deployment takes place in the context of NATO's ongoing missions, but it has been brought forward by a few days due to the recent escalation of tension, as Spanish defence minister Margarita Robles has explained. The minister also said that she would be sending the frigate Blas de Lezo in "three or four days" and offered to send fighter aircraft to Bulgaria, given the imminent danger of Russian invasion on the border with Ukraine. Following the failure of talks between the parties, both Russia and the United States as well as their respective allies have begun increasing their military deployments in the region. This Thursday, the Russian Army announced large-scale manoeuvres, with more than 140 ships and almost 10,000 soldiers to take part.

Spain and NATO

Asked to clarify the role of the Spanish state in the conflict with Russia, Robles said that "Spain takes the position of NATO. And in no case is it acceptable for Russia to impose conditions on any country," referring to the accusations made by Russian representatives that the West is not open to giving an inch to reach a compromise and guarantee peace in Europe. As for the frigate deployed in the Black Sea, the minister said that NATO considers it an "essential maritime requirement", ready for rapid deployment in an extreme situation. Specifically, the Meteoro will fulfill its mission as a command ship within the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group, a multinational force that is mainly engaged in operations of search and disposal of explosive devices.

Russia marks its territory

Moscow, on the other hand, shows no sign of backing down from its threats. This week, the Russian Navy has announced major manoeuvres involving more than 140 ships and nearly 10,000 soldiers. "The Russian Navy is conducting a series of exercises in all areas of responsibility of the fleet," announced the Russian ministry of defence. The ministry has also deployed on Twitter, sharing images of military training with its Belarusian allies, near the border with Ukraine. These exercises have been of great concern to the US and, according to the Russians, are aimed at inspecting the capabilities of Russian and Belarusian rapid reaction forces at four airfields and five military bases. Moscow denies any plan to invade Ukraine and defends its right to manoeuvre on its own territory and within the framework of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, and at the same time denies that it poses any threat to the border with its neighbour.