New Delhi, June 8 -- Dmitry Peskov arrived at the podium with a familiar formulation and a conspicuous absence of specifics. Russia, he said, is taking "necessary measures" to secure itself against NATO military infrastructure that has been advancing toward its borders for decades. What those measures are, he declined to say.

with its centre of gravity planted squarely along Russia's northern frontier. Finnish airbases at Rovaniemi and Pirkkala are receiving German Eurofighters and U.S. F-35A Lightning IIs from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. Norwegian fields are accepting Belgian A-400Ms. The exercise involves 18 nations, over 200 aircraft and roughly 150 daily sorties.

It is the third iteration of Ramstein Flag, but ...