Russia, France: Panicking the Baltics

The captain of France's Mistral (L 9013) helicopter carrier said Nov. 24 that the vessel will hold drills with Russian helicopter teams based in St. Petersburg. This announcement comes as Russia has expressed interest in purchasing a vessel based on the Mistral design. These developments, along with Russia and Belarus' joint Zapad exercises in September (which put thousands of Russian troops near Baltic territory), are making the Baltic states nervous. As a result, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia could ask the United States and NATO for more concrete military assistance.