British troops' show of Nato strength to Russia

BRITISH troops deployed a weapons system dubbed the "70km sniper" one hour from the Russian border yesterday as part of the largest Nato military exercise since the Cold War.

- Tara Fair

A Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System was landed at Kiltsi in northeast Estonia from an RAF A400M Atlas transport aircraft in the early hours, in operation Swift Response.

GMLRS can deliver GPS-guided precision strikes and has played a key role in punishing Russian invaders in the war in Ukraine.

The aim of the exercise was to prove Nato can rapidly build up combat power by air-landing additional weapons, troops, vehicles and equipment.

The operation is part of the alliance's Steadfast Defender exercise currently taking place across Europe as naval armadas, waves of fighter jets and 90,000 troops conduct land, sea, air, cyber and space operations.