Key challenges in NATO’s rivalry with Russia Faced with a resurgent Russia, the NATO alliance is tasked with defending a frontier stretching from the Arctic Circle to northern Syria FLASHPOINTS 1 Suwalki gap 100km-long border – EU’s only connection with Baltic States – seen as particularly vulnerable 2 Tapa army base NATO battle group includes over 800 UK troops deployed at forward position in Estonia 3 Tartus naval facility, Syria Russian foothold in eastern Mediterranean being turned into fully-fledged naval base 4 Sevastopol naval base: Crimean port is home to Russia’s Black Sea fleet. Moscow has recently deployed six new Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines in Black Sea and Mediterranean, according to NATO 5 Keflavik air base: Icelandic facility playing increasing role in NATO’s enhanced air surveillance operations since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 NATO members* NATO forward battle group deployments Placement of new Russian divisions ESTONIA Kaliningrad (RUS) POLAND RUSSIA LATVIA LITHUANIA BELARUS UKRAINE TURKEY 1 2 3 4 5 500km 300 miles MILITARY STRENGTH NATO Current During Cold War Troops 3,200,000 2,400,000 Tanks 9,800 25,900 Warplanes 6,100 1,140 Russia Current During Cold War Troops 830,000 2,300,000 Tanks 3,000 53,100 Warplanes 1,900 3,100 *Includes U.S. and Canada Sources: Financial Times, Spiegel © GRAPHIC NEWS