'The American strategy in the run-up to the crisis was to make Ukraine a military and political counterweight to Russia'.

Russian International relations expert Andrey Sushentsov talks on US and NATO strategy to oppose Russia. According to him, NATO experts were training the Ukrainian Army in preparation for the conflict. So it was with Sweden and Finland, who were taking part in all NATO's military exercises in Europe.

73 years ago, on August 24, 1949, NATO was created for 'collective security' between Western countries, but all that time it has been getting closer to Russia's border. Today, the military bloc includes Eastern European countries, as well as ex-members of the former Soviet Union. And they still consider Russia as a treat.